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This article is different because it actually talks about code review, which I don’t see very often. Especially in the ultra-hype 1000x “we built an operating s

by datsci_est_2015 9mo ago

This article is different because it actually talks about code review, which I don’t see very often. Especially in the ultra-hype 1000x “we built an operating system in a day using agentic coding”, it seems like code review is implied to be a thing of the past. As long as code continues to need to be reviewed to (mostly) maintain a chain of liability, I don’t see SWE going anywhere like both hypebros and doomers seem to be intent on posting about. Code review will simply become the bottle neck for SWE. In other words, reading and understanding code so that when SHTF the shareholders know who to hold accountable.

Normal_gaussian 9mo ago
This is one of the key elements that will shift the SWE discipline. We will move to more explicitly editing systems by their footprint and guarantees, and verifying that what exists matches those.
- datsci_est_2015 9mo ago
  “Editing systems” will remain being a rigid and formal process, though. The discipline won’t become softer and more easily understood (SWEs are going to be replaced!), if anything it will become harder and less easily understood. Shareholders don’t want a “release” button that when they press it there’s a XX% chance that the entire software stack collapses because an increasingly complex piece of software is understood by no one but a black box called “AI” that can’t be fired or otherwise held accountable.
sjsizjhaha 9mo ago
The corollary here is there’s 2 cases here: 1. You know exactly what the code should look like ahead of time. Agents are handy here, but this is rare and takes no time at all as is 2. You don’t know exactly what it should be. Building the mental model by hand is faster than working backwards from finished work. Agents help with speeding up your knowledge here, but having them build the model is not good Code review is and always was the bottle neck. You are doing code review when you write code.

Normal_gaussian 9mo ago

This is one of the key elements that will shift the SWE discipline. We will move to more explicitly editing systems by their footprint and guarantees, and verifying that what exists matches those.

datsci_est_2015 9mo ago
“Editing systems” will remain being a rigid and formal process, though. The discipline won’t become softer and more easily understood (SWEs are going to be replaced!), if anything it will become harder and less easily understood. Shareholders don’t want a “release” button that when they press it there’s a XX% chance that the entire software stack collapses because an increasingly complex piece of software is understood by no one but a black box called “AI” that can’t be fired or otherwise held accountable.

sjsizjhaha 9mo ago

The corollary here is there’s 2 cases here: 1. You know exactly what the code should look like ahead of time. Agents are handy here, but this is rare and takes no time at all as is 2. You don’t know exactly what it should be. Building the mental model by hand is faster than working backwards from finished work. Agents help with speeding up your knowledge here, but having them build the model is not good Code review is and always was the bottle neck. You are doing code review when you write code.