ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Anti-pattern

An anti-pattern is like a bad habit. It's a way of doing something (like programming or solving problems) that usually causes more problems than it helps to solve. For example, maybe you always throw your toys on the floor when you're done playing with them. This isn't a good habit because it makes a mess and it's not very nice either. So it's an anti-pattern.