DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)

Biological Parallel

Genetic redundancy creates maintenance burden—organisms must replicate, proofread, and repair every duplicated gene sequence. DRY minimizes organizational genome size: each concept exists in one canonical location, reducing replication costs and eliminating synchronization failures. C-value paradox shows organisms with bloated genomes suffer slower cell division and higher mutation rates. Code duplication isn't just inelegant; it's metabolically expensive and evolutionarily maladaptive.