reinvent the wheel

The phrase "reinvent the wheel" means to unnecessarily create or do something that has already been done before, usually with a significant amount of time and effort spent on it. It implies that a person or group is wasting resources by attempting to redesign or recreate something that already exists and is widely accepted or understood. The phrase emphasizes the idea that it is more efficient to make use of existing knowledge, tools, or solutions, rather than starting from scratch.