A common debate in software development revolves around whether to use pre-existing tools and services (building) for better productivity or stick with lower-level tools or custom-built solutions (buying) for more control, flexibility, and potentially better performance. This decision can impact various aspects of tech industry ideological conflicts, such as cloud vs. on-premises hardware, programming languages, self-hosted vs. managed services, and internal custom tools vs. off-the-shelf software-as-a-service solutions. The choice between using a client library versus direct API access to developer tools is also a point of contention, with each side having valid arguments about trade-offs in terms of productivity, efficiency, flexibility, and control. Ultimately, the decision depends on individual company circumstances, including the importance of the software project to core business value and the company's position in terms of product-market fit.