Code Tax
Noun · Slang & Abbreviations
Definitions
The recurring extra effort imposed by a codebase, tool, or architecture before real feature work can even start. It often shows up as boilerplate, slow builds, brittle setup, or mandatory workaround steps.
In plain English: The extra hassle a codebase makes you pay before you can do the real work.
Example: "Adding one endpoint took a day because the framework's code tax is brutal."