Unmaintainable

Describing something that is impossible or extremely difficult to keep in good working order, repair, or service over time due to poor design, complexity, lack of resources, or other factors. It implies a significant investment of time, money, and expertise to address issues that frequently arise, ultimately making the object or system unsustainable or unusable in the long run. An unmaintainable system can be brittle, prone to failure, and difficult to adapt to changing requirements. It's a cautionary descriptor, often highlighting design flaws or operational deficiencies that lead to ongoing problems.

Unmaintainable meaning with examples

• The legacy code base was riddled with spaghetti code and undocumented features, making it virtually unmaintainable. New developers struggled to understand its logic, and even small bug fixes risked introducing further errors. Attempts to refactor the code proved too complex and time-consuming, forcing the company to consider a complete rewrite. This situation seriously hampered progress.
• The complex, custom-built industrial machine, despite its initial innovative design, proved unmaintainable due to a lack of readily available replacement parts and specialized technicians. Frequent breakdowns crippled production, causing significant financial losses. The company was forced to retire the machine and invest in a more robust, readily serviceable alternative, which led to them being left behind in the marketplace.
• The web application's convoluted architecture and inadequate documentation rendered it utterly unmaintainable. Every small change required a Herculean effort, often leading to regressions. The development team constantly spent their time debugging, trying to understand a complex system, which delayed deployment and led to users receiving less frequent updates, leading to security issues.
• The DIY home automation system, assembled with various incompatible components and haphazard wiring, quickly became unmaintainable. Frequent glitches, erratic behavior, and the absence of proper backups created a frustrating and insecure user experience. Any modifications or repairs required excessive time and expertise, making the setup unsustainable for everyday use.