> This happens but far less often than it used to, and the case for full autonomous agents is getting stronger, not weaker.
This is that I do not see. My journey, just couple weeks ago, Claude Code + Opus 4.8. The task was not too complicated, 4 new API endpoint plus events streamed from client by websocket.
1. Multiply iterations on API definitions, refine request/response models, database schema, whole flow. A lot of corrections, removing contradictions, manual changes in document. Opus went of rails all the time. 500+ lines final document
2. API Integration tests. Once again, back and forth. AI was unable to create tests directly from document, so 2 iterations: Create placeholders with Given-When-Than comments, review an correct by hand. Second iteration was to implement tests. A lot of mistakes corrected after review.
3. Implementation. CC got api document, working tests ( modifications blocked by hook ), 6+ "best practices" skills ( most promptly ignored ), "rubber duck" and "code simplifier" agents, pre cooked scipts to run tests, linter, and check for compilation errors. Plan + execution + review, multiply corrections on the way. Feature implemented, all tests passed.
4. Code review. At average, found one issue per 20 lines of code. Not count code style, things like: Use in memory semaphore in kubernetes service (deployment described in CLAUDE.md ), 8 database calls to update the same record during a single request. One column at a time! Read-modify-save without transaction. Mistakes in business logic, failure recovery, authorization.
The result: almost one workweek, $100+ in tokens, and one thought: did it worth the effort ?
P.S. I have a team of 2 developers. Just got PR to review from one of them. 80% slop.