How do you balance between over-engineering and following design principles?

Short answer: I prioritize YAGNI (You Aren’t Gonna Need It) to avoid over-engineering.

Explain a bit more

SOLID principles guide design for flexibility and maintainability, but I apply them pragmatically: start with simple solutions and refactor as requirements evolve. Writing tests early helps identify pain points justifying additional abstractions. Communication with the team ensures we don’t add complexity prematurely but keep the codebase adaptable.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

Patterns in ShopNest should solve a real pain (swappable payments, test seams)—not be added for decoration.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.