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Using AI to write better code more slowly

nolanlawson.com

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Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#61

Post by bachmeier »

ai_fry_ur_brain wrote: post #45

Just dont use it lol, it does nothing you cant do by yourself. You're nerfing parts of your brain by relying on it.

Where they are extremely powerful, and it's hard to debate this IMO, is adding comments to the code, writing complete documentation, and constantly updating the readme. The value in actually writing the code is still up for debate (I'm on the side that sees the value there too) but the mind-numbing, boring, make-you-hate-life parts of the codebase are without question better for the use of AI.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#62

Post by speff »

well_ackshually wrote: post #46
efitz wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you only have one AI window open, you’re doing it wrong. You task swap to another window/agent, get it working on something, rinse and repeat. I can keep 4 busy most of the time. When I task swap I also check in on what the other agents are doing to make sure they’re on track, not blocked and not struggling.

congratulations on your soon to be coming burnout. Keeping that many tasks in parallel, running all the time will kill you.

I suppose it depends how hands-off the tasks are - I max out at 2 parallel sessions working on different parts and it's fairly exhausting once done. I can see the number of parallel work increasing if there's a good dev/test loop. But at $WORK, that's not usually an option.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#63

Post by i_love_retros »

bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

This all sounds insane. If it requires so much back and forth with the AI why on earth wouldn't you just write the code yourself? At least then you build the mental model of the code and keep your brain healthy. Reading the comments in here about all the hoops people are having to jump through just to do the same thing they were doing a year ago without AI... and spending a fortune to do it! I think you've all got AI psychosis.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#64

Post by rootnod3 »

speff wrote: post #62
well_ackshually wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

congratulations on your soon to be coming burnout. Keeping that many tasks in parallel, running all the time will kill you.

I suppose it depends how hands-off the tasks are - I max out at 2 parallel sessions working on different parts and it's fairly exhausting once done. I can see the number of parallel work increasing if there's a good dev/test loop. But at $WORK, that's not usually an option.

So, hands-off meaning "just let the AI cook and don't check it"?

Either you follow everything it does, revise the plans, do the code review, manual adjustments, etc, or you run sessions in parallel, not being that attentive and constantly context-switch (also resulting in less attention I guess).

I fail to see the benefits honestly.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#65

Post by qsera »

aomix wrote: post #59
bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

Talking the problem to death with the AI before implementation is a nice zone for me. I feel productive, get good results out of the AI, and still largely understand the code. That’s the part of the AI revolution that I feel has made me a better engineer because I argue about design and architecture all day with a robot.

>I argue about design and architecture all day with a robot.

You will outgrow it at some point.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#66

Post by democracy »

bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

Similar approach, but I also go a step further with some basic manual architecture/high level contract/stubs setups, just to keep it consistent with other systems (and easier reading as well).

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#67

Post by DonHopkins »

bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

Low frequency defensive long drawn out back and forth bullet dodging vibe coding should be called "serpentine coding".

The In-Laws (1979): Getting off the plane in Tijuara:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2_w-QCWpS0

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#68

Post by tonymet »

Are we overcomplicating AI by approaching top down, so naturally there are trillions of variations and too many ways to fail? Supervising a component-level scope, with emphasis on quality control (regression, perf testing, benchmarking, etc), seems to produce great work.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#69

Post by democracy »

i_love_retros wrote: post #63
bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

This all sounds insane. If it requires so much back and forth with the AI why on earth wouldn't you just write the code yourself? At least then you build the mental model of the code and keep your brain healthy. Reading the comments in here about all the hoops people are having to jump through just to do the same thing they were doing a year ago without AI... and spending a fortune to do it! I think you've all got AI…

You can be right but quite often it helps keeping focus on the forrest rather then getting lost in the trees - at least for me. Boilerplate steals a lot of attention, focus and can just be mentally exhausting.

Re: Using AI to write better code more slowly

#70

Post by DonHopkins »

sunsetSamurai wrote: post #51
bottlepalm wrote: post #4

I've hit this point with AI where it's not a simple process, but a long drawn out back and forth. I'll use AI to design the implementation of a medium sized, cross cutting feature. Review all the details, maybe iterate on just that. Then implement with Claude 4.7 Max - which runs slower, but does a better job. Then review the implementation, then have Codex GPT 5.5 xhigh fast review it - which almost always finds cor…

maybe it's dumb question, but how do you feed the results of one agent to another? do you copy and paste manually? or how do you do it programmatically?

Just switch models whenever you want with the menu at the bottom of the chat window in Cursor.

And maybe don't use tools that lock you into one model?

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