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No, it's been my experience asking LLMs to explain complicated code to me. They can do a pretty good job of it. You can also ask them to write a bunch of tests
by jeffreyrogers 1mo ago
No, it's been my experience asking LLMs to explain complicated code to me. They can do a pretty good job of it. You can also ask them to write a bunch of tests and then rip out the old implementation and fix it with a new one. LLMs aren't perfect but they are really good at understanding and writing code.
- pizza234 1mo agoIt depends on what one's idea of an implementation is and what one's expectations are. If an implementation is "a black box that works," absolutely, LLMs are fine. They can create complex programs in full. But if one expects a tight implementation... it's a horror. LLMs vastly overengineer code (I believe they're intentionally designed to do so). I really struggle to make LLMs generate lean code. In the best case, they generate bloated designs (in terms of complexity, not necessarily performance), but in the worst case, they generate gaps in the specification. And even in the first case - cognitive load is a problem also for LLMs, not just for humans (although obviously at a larger scale). I think LLMs are essentially modern compilers, with similar problems, but designed more like "deoptimizing compilers" than optimizing ones. :)
- sph 1mo agoIn this subthread we’re talking about being paid to untangle LLM slop, and you come in to say “LLMs are good for that.” Come on man, be serious.