Code Burden
Noun · Slang & Abbreviations
Definitions
The maintenance weight imposed by code that is costly to understand, test, migrate, or keep alive. In engineering slang, code burden is what accumulates when shipping decisions optimize for now and charge interest later.
In plain English: The maintenance weight and ongoing cost created by code.
Example: "The feature's initial implementation was fast, but its code burden showed up later in every release, audit, and onboarding session."