# Tracer Bullets vs Prototypes

## Tracer Bullets

### Context

The end goal of the project is not set (WIP).

### Advantages

* get immediate feedback on a project under real conditions
    
* users get to see something working early
    
* developers build a structure to work in that they can iterate over
    
* you have an integration platform (changes are added one by one)
    
* developers are at ease because they can show something early and they observe project progress
    

### How to Start

1. Plan
    
    1. prioritize critical requirements of the task
        
    2. prioritize solving unknowns
        
    3. prioritize solving the biggest risks
        
2. Set up a structure of a working solution
    
3. Adjust how close to the target you are and implement accordingly
    

### Goal

find the target and iterate over it

### Characteristics

* code is not disposable
    
* it has error-checking, documentation, structuring, self-checking
    
* not fully functional
    
* end-to-end connection
    
* changes are made incremental
    
* you can present something from day one
    

## Prototype

### Context

* used to deal with unknowns, risks or critical aspects of the project
    

### Advantages

* save money and time by identifying and fixing early on potential issues with the system
    

### How to Start

1. Plan
    
    1. Decide on the goal, what needs to be learned in the end.
        
    2. Decide which details to ignore
        
2. Implement solution
    

### Goal

* learn how to fix issues
    
* learn about the aspect of the task that was unknown or doubtful
    
* investigate specific aspects of the final system
    

### Characteristics

* are meant to answer a few questions
    
* cheaper and faster to develop than production systems
    
* you can use dummy data
    
* limited functionality
    
* (optional) error checking is missing
    
* (optional) documentation missing