Code Parasite
Noun · Slang & Abbreviations
Definitions
A piece of code that clings to another system, extracts value from it, and adds burden without contributing much clarity or structure of its own. In engineering slang, code parasite often describes wrappers or sidecar logic that keeps growing around a core system.
In plain English: Code that latches onto another system and adds burden without enough value.
Example: "The customer-specific billing hook had become a code parasite, attaching itself to every upgrade and forcing special handling at each new version boundary."