The author reminisces about their time working with the best and worst codebase they ever encountered in their career. They recall the challenges and quirky solutions within the system, such as creating a table with only one column to generate IDs and using a manual calendar table to restrict logins. The database was a chaotic mix of legacy systems and normalized tables, with unique processes like dropping the employees table every morning. Despite the messy codebase, developers found ways to carve out pockets of sanity and improve functionality where they could, highlighting the unique and enjoyable aspects of working within such a complex environment.
https://jimmyhmiller.github.io/ugliest-beautiful-codebase