Balance configuration automation complexity

When implementing configuration management solutions, carefully weigh the benefits of automation against the complexity and maintenance burden it introduces. For infrequent configuration updates, prefer simple manual approaches over complex automated solutions that may break unexpectedly. For frequent updates or version-specific configurations, automation and environment variables can be justified.

Consider these factors when deciding on configuration management approaches:

• Update frequency: Automate only when updates happen regularly
• Complexity cost: Avoid regex-heavy or brittle automation for simple tasks
• Fallback options: Ensure manual alternatives remain viable
• Environment variables: Use them for version-specific or runtime configurations

Example of appropriate environment variable usage for configuration:

def run_with_config(work_dir: Path, python: str | None) -> None:
    env = os.environ.copy()
    env["_PYODIDE_EXTRA_MOUNTS"] = str(work_dir)
    if python:
        env["_PYWRANGLER_PYTHON_VERSION"] = python
    run(["tool", "command"], cwd=work_dir, env=env)

Avoid over-engineering configuration updates with complex regex patterns when the update frequency doesn’t justify the maintenance overhead. The goal is reliable, maintainable configuration management that serves the team’s actual needs.