Facebook engineering is unique. Software is built at Facebook in a way that is distinctly different than any other company. In our series of shows about Facebook engineering, we have mostly covered the positive side of Facebook’s practices. In today’s show, we explore the downsides. 

Facebook moves fast. Engineers within the company must move fast, which can reduce the time spent on formal process and documentation. A fast pace can lead to a chaotic environment. In this kind of environment, not every employee thrives, and product development can sometimes suffer. But there are clear benefits to moving fast, and many software organizations could benefit from moving faster.

Pete Hunt was an engineer with Facebook who worked on Facebook Video, Instagram, and React. Nick Schrock worked on core infrastructure at Facebook and was the co-creator of GraphQL. Pete and Nick helped create the Facebook culture, and are aware of the best and worst aspects of it. They join the show to reflect on their time at Facebook, and the downsides of moving fast.