Technical debt (TD) is a metaphor in software development that encapsulates the long-term implications of short-term expedients. This concept takes on unique characteristics within self-adaptive systems (SAS), which are known for their ability to dynamically adjust to their environment and internal states. The manifestation of TD in SAS can take various forms, such as adverting and inadvertent ill-modulated context models and suboptimal adaptation strategies. While the full complexity of this field is yet to be unveiled, an initial outline can be drawn to guide future explorations. The importance of anticipating and managing TD in these complex, evolving systems is underscored, as it paves the way for more robust and efficient SAS in the future. This exploration conjectures the potential landscape of TD within SAS, providing a glimpse into a critical aspect of software development.

Assistant Professor at the Software Technologies Lab of the University of Florence (UniFI). Fascinated by empirical software engineering, especially when applied in the fields of software architecture, technical debt, software testing, and software energy efficiency.