# Michael Feathers

> Michael Feathers is a software consultant, author, and Chief Architect at Globant whose 2004 book 'Working Effectively with Legacy Code' redefined how developers think about untested code - coining the now-universal definition that legacy code is simply code without tests. With over 25 years consulting hundreds of organizations, he pioneered dependency-breaking techniques that gave teams a way into codebases they feared. Today he explores how AI reshapes programming, writes the 'mechanisms' newsletter on Substack, and continues speaking at conferences worldwide.

- **Role:** Chief Architect at Globant
- **Organizations:** Globant, R7K Research & Conveyance, Object Mentor International, Obtiva
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Computer Science, Florida International University
- **Known for:** Authored 'Working Effectively with Legacy Code' (2004), widely considered the definitive guide to modernizing untested codebases, Coined the industry-standard definition: 'legacy code is code without tests', Developed CPPUnit, the C++ port of JUnit testing framework

## Career timeline

- **1991** — Graduated from Florida International University with a CS degree; began career as developer and designer
- **1999** — Joined Object Mentor International as Senior Consultant, mentoring teams on agile and XP practices
- **2004** — Published 'Working Effectively with Legacy Code' (Prentice Hall) - a landmark in software craftsmanship
- **2009** — Joined Obtiva as Chief Scientist
- **2010** — Founded R7K Research & Conveyance, focusing on software and organization design
- **2021** — Appointed Chief Architect at Globant (announced January 7, 2021)
- **2024** — Published 'AI Assisted Programming' on Leanpub; spoke at GOTO Chicago 2024
- **2025** — Keynote speaker at Code Freeze 2025 (University of Minnesota) and GOTO Melbourne
- **2026** — Speaking at Craft Conference 2026

## Achievements

- Authored 'Working Effectively with Legacy Code' (2004), widely considered the definitive guide to modernizing untested codebases
- Coined the industry-standard definition: 'legacy code is code without tests'
- Developed CPPUnit, the C++ port of JUnit testing framework
- Published 'AI Assisted Programming' (2024) exploring LLM impact on software development
- Consulted with hundreds of organizations globally over 25+ years
- Pioneered dependency-breaking techniques: Sprout Method, Sprout Class, Wrap Method, Wrap Class
- Appointed Chief Architect at Globant (2021)
- Founder and Director of R7K Research & Conveyance
- Prolific conference keynote speaker at QCon, GOTO, YOW!, Craft Conference, and others

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Scheduled to speak at Craft Conference 2026
- **2025-01** — Keynote speaker at Code Freeze 2025, University of Minnesota
- **2025** — Speaking at GOTO Melbourne and YOW! conferences
- **2024-06** — Published 'AI Assisted Programming' on Leanpub
- **2024** — Speaker at GOTO Chicago 2024
- **2024** — Active on mechanisms Substack with posts on AI, design, and software quality

## Links

- Website: https://michaelfeathers.silvrback.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfeathers
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/mfeathers
- GitHub: https://github.com/michaelfeathers

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-feathers
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-21