SDC - expected use of in-house libraries/technology to complete technical tasks

[7specialgems]

Current client has developed helper libraries as a facade over popular message-driven architecture Java software and it is required that these libraries are used when developing microservices.

It works well but the world's moved on since they built them and there is equivalent vanilla functionality in the underlying software now.

I've discussed this with the developers but it is their little feifdom and despite the above, they are insisting that it continues to be used.

Am I taking things too far or this prescription to use a customer's internal libraries a possibly an unreasonable level of direction?

[Lance]

Current client has developed helper libraries as a facade over popular message-driven architecture Java software and it is required that these libraries are used when developing microservices.

Am I taking things too far or is this a whitelist of technology libraries - which may or may not include the customer's IP - a legitimate supervision, direction and control issue for my IR35 status?

Yes. Far too far.

Do they tell you where (and how and when) to sit? Do they tell you how to code? Those are problems. The libraries you use are NOT a problem.
I'm not even a programmer and I know this.
You should worry more about what else you don't know.

[7specialgems]

Do they tell you how to code? Those are problems.

Is specifying a whitelist of allowable libraries not a factor in telling you how to code?

Is a peer-code review which rejects or queries your code not a factor in telling you how to code?

If I don't use the client's IP, they reject the work. Their position is "don't do it like that, do it like this" hence my SDC concern.

[Lance]

Is specifying a whitelist of allowable libraries not a factor in telling you how to code?

Security/compliance requirement....

Is a peer-code review which rejects or queries your code not telling you how to code alternatively?

Hence the post.

That might well be. Here's a get out of jail free for you.... fix it for free....

[TheGreenBastard]

Is specifying a whitelist of allowable libraries not a factor in telling you how to code?

Is a peer-code review which rejects or queries your code not a factor in telling you how to code?

If I don't use the client's IP, they reject the work. Their position is "don't do it like that, do it like this" hence my SDC concern.

You sound like a bit of liability if I'm understanding you correctly regarding PRs. Should the client just assume your coding infallibility as to not tread on issues you have with "control"? How is your work verified? Sounds very inefficient waiting until it's reached the testers, and what if they send your bug riddled crap back with change requests?

Of course a company is going to want a uniform tech stack that's aligned with their current engineers, support and strategy.

This place boggles the mind sometimes.

[7specialgems]

Of course a company is going to want a uniform tech stack that's aligned with their current engineers, support and strategy..

Sure.Obviously if you've got a C# gig and you say "no, screw you, I'm doing it in Node JS" that's ridiculous, or if there's some framework like Spring being used and you decide you fancy using a completely different one then that's unreasonable as well. There will be some high level parameters for selecting technology and in a lot of cases there will be a clear de facto library for something so there won't be any dispute about using it as that's what you would probably be recommending as a solution yourself, were you asked.

But when we get down to the level of customer IP I was just concerned that the gig might be getting unreasonably prescriptive... hence the call for views from others.

Looking at this definition of SDC attributed to HMRC:

Supervision is someone overseeing a person doing work, to ensure that person is doing the work they are required to do and it is being done correctly to the required standard. Supervision can also involve helping the person, where appropriate, in order to develop their skills and knowledge.

Direction is someone making a person do his/her work in a certain way by providing them with instructions, guidance or advice as to how the work must be done. Someone providing direction will often coordinate the how the work is done, as it is being undertaken.

Control is someone dictating what work a person does and how they go about doing that work. Control also includes someone having the power to move the person from one job to another.

and in the context of the above, I repeat:

If I don't use the client's IP, they reject the work. Their position is "don't do it like that, do it like this" hence my SDC concern.

I can't decide with conviction if the "how" question seeks to address a prescribed method despite unenumerated alternatives (skin the cat exactly like this), and/or if it should also be taken (contextually) to consider materials as well (skin the cat using only these things).

[BR14]

Sure. I have no issue with what a company might reasonably want, but I wouldn't be doing my due dilligence correctly if I didn't consider SDC, hence the OP.

Looking at this definition of SDC attributed to HMRC:

tell them to stuff it, and walk away then.

[Lance]

tell them to stuff it, and walk away then.

or fix it for free.

[7specialgems]

or fix it for free.

Billed or not, is it still being told how to do it to a possibly unreasonable level hence the SDC OP.

[BR14]

Billed or not, it is still being told how to do it to a possibly unreasonable level hence the SDC OP.

so Don't Do IT Then.
FFS.
what is it you want to hear?