Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

291–300 of 657 posts

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#291

Post by cyanydeez »

piker wrote: post #212

I am working on a sub 100KLOC Rust application and can't productively use the agentic workflows to improve that application. On the other hand, I have tried them a number of times in greenfield situations with Python and the web stack and experienced the simultaneous joy and existential dread of others. They can really stand new projects up quick. As a founder, this leaves me with what I describe as the "generation s…

I'm surprised there's no more attempts to stablize around a base model, like in stable diffusion, then augment those models with LoRas for various frameworks, and other routine patterns. There's so much going into trying to build these omnimodels, when the technology is there to mold the models into more useful paradigms around frameworks and coding patterns.

Especially, now that we do have models that can search through code bases.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#293

Post by philipp-gayret »

Izkata wrote: post #149

I don't use it. I know my mind fairly well, and I know my style of laziness will result in atrophying skills. Better not to risk it. One of my co-workers already admitted as much to me around six months ago, and that he was trying not to use AI for any code generation anymore, but it was really difficult to stop because it was so easy to reach for. Sounded kind of like a drug addiction to me. And I had the impression…

The atrophy of manually writing code is certainly real. I'd compare it to using a paper map and a compass to navigate, versus say Google Maps. I don't particularly care to lose the skill, even though being good and enjoying the programming part of making software was my main source of income for more than a decade. I just can't escape being significantly faster with a Claude Code.

> he can tell what it generates is messy for long-term maintenance, even if it does work and even though he's new to React.

When one can generate code in such a short amount of time, logically it is not hard to maintain. You could just re-generate it if you didn't like it. I don't believe this style of argument where it's easy to generate with AI but then you cannot maintain it after. It does not hold up logically, and I have yet to see such a codebase where AI was able to generate it, but now cannot maintain it. What I have seen this year is feature-complete language and framework rewrites done by AI with these new tools. For me the unmaintainable code claim is difficult to believe.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#294

Post by caminante »

deadbabe wrote: post #283
viccis wrote: post #268

Haven't seen this mentioned yet, but the worst part for me is that a lot of management LOVES to use Claude to generate 50 page design documents, PRDs, etc., and send them to us to "please review as soon as you can". Nobody reads it, not even the people making it. I'm watching some employees just generate endless slide decks of nonsense and then waffle when asked any specific questions. If any of that is read, it is b…

The best thing to do is to schedule meetings with those people to go over the docs with them. Now you force them to eat their own shit and waste their own time the more output they create.

Love the intent, but isn't that wishful if you don't have any leverage? e.g., the higher up will trade you for someone who doesn't cause friction or you waste too much of your own time?

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#295

Post by chr15m »

I measured my output:

- 1.5x more commits. - 2x more issues closed.

The commits are real. I'm not doing "vibe coding" or even agentic coding. I'm doing turn-by-turn where I micromanage the LLM, give specific implementation instructions, and then read and run the output before committing the code.

I'm more than happy with 2x issues closed. For my client work it means my wildly optimistic programmer estimates are almost accurate now.

I did have a frustrating period where a client was generating specs using ChatGPT. I was simply honest: "I have no idea what this nonsense means, let's meet to discuss the new requirements." That worked.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#296

Post by molave »

1. Generate unit tests beyond the best-case scenario. Analogy: Netflix's Chaos Monkey

2. Incremental cleanup: I also use it as a fancier upgrade of Visual Studio's Code Analysis feature and aid me in finding areas to refactor.

3. Treating the model as a corpus of prior knowledge and discussions, I can form a 'committee of agents' (Security, Reliability, UX engineer POVs) to help me view my work at a more strategic level.

My additional twist to this is to check against my organization's mission statement. That way, I hope I can help reduce mission drift that I observe was a big issue behind dysfunctional companies.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#297

Post by lnrd »

ramraj07 wrote: post #81
lnrd wrote: post #78

I work at a unicorn in EU. Claude Code has been rolled out to all of engineering with strict cost control policies, even with these in place we burn through tens of thousands of euro per months that I think could translate in 15/20 hires easily. Are we more productive than adding people to the headcount? That's a good question that I cannot answer. Some senior people that were in the AI pilot, have been using this fo…

Why did your company get claude code with token billing instead of getting everyone max plans ?

I think they need to have the enterprise plan for accessing advanced security and data handling guarantees. Also they set up pretty strict controls on what tools the agents can use at the org level that we cannot override, not sure that's an option with the subscription plans.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#298

Post by cluckindan »

wg0 wrote: post #146
csto12 wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have read comments about this on X, here, and other places, yet I have ever seen there be proof this is an actual productivity boost. I use Claude Opus (4.5, 4.6) all the time and catch it making making subtle mistakes, all the time. Are you really being more productive (let’s say 3x times more), or just feel that way because you are constantly prompting Claude? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t buy it.

I agree. The code despite detailed spec reveals bugs and edge cases upon inspection. I'm talking Claude Opus 4.6 here.

The spec needs to be explicit about edge and corner cases.

Re: Ask HN: How is AI-assisted coding going for you professionally?

#300

Post by csto12 »

turlockmike wrote: post #215
csto12 wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you’ve forgotten about the context of OP’s post. He said he uninstalled vscode and uses a dashboard for managing his agents. How are you going to be able to do code review well when you don’t even know what’s going on in your own project? I catch subtle bugs Claude emits because I know exactly what’s happening because I’m actively working with Claude, not letting Claude do everything.

The code is still visible if i want to review it. But since I have a strong rule about always writing unit tests before code, my confidence is a lot higher. https://simonwillison.net/2025/Dec/18/code-proven-to-work/

>The code is still visible if i want to review it.

I agree that the test harness is the most important part, which is only possible to create successfully if you are very familiar with exactly how your code works and how it should work. How would you reach this point using a dashboard and just reviewing PRs?

Post reply on HN