## Definition of Tech Debt Tech debt, also known as technical debt, is a metaphorical term used in product management to describe the cost of maintaining and updating software systems and applications over time. It is the result of taking shortcuts or making trade-offs during the development process that may lead to inefficient or incomplete code, causing problems down the line. The concept of tech debt is not necessarily negative, as it can help teams move quickly and get a product to market faster. > [!NOTE] > However, if left unaddressed, tech debt can become a significant problem that can slow down development, increase costs, and even impact the stability and performance of a product.