A dirty hack is a piece of code that exists for no good reason but to simplify the life of someone at some point in time. A dirty hack has usually some (or all!) the following characteristics:

• Is useful to only a small number of clients;

• Is useful to only one person;

• Is difficult to explain and-or understand;

• Is difficult to maintain in the long run;

• Breaks the architectural and design choices of the overall system;

• Should disappear soon;

• Has been quickly implemented;

• Has not been not tested.