> In my current role at Box, I’m famous for repeating the phrase, “no accidental standards.” We don’t accept that things are “the way” just because they pop up in a couple of places. When we see this happening, we stop, discuss it, and either codify it as “the way” or disallow it. We then update code appropriately before it gets too far. Through automation, code reviews, and code workshops[1], we are able to keep an eye on the code and make sure we’re all on the same page.

no.

There's a faulty assumption here: that code in a repo should have a pattern. That there's a Way of writing code that should be followed within a company. That it's acceptable to believe code already checked in is the Way.

no.

Having worked in a team that was very serious about this approach advocated by the OP, what happens is that opinions about the Way change, so the fad from two years ago is no longer the Way, but it still ghosts on through the code base.

You will encounter many ways of writing code in many repositories through your life.... the ideal Way of the code is to be able to write the code needed, how it needs to be written, without bothering too much about the Way Of the Mandate (but don't copy and paste).

It's slightly Tao, I think. The Way that can be described is not the Way...