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I feel like I have gone from 100% hand written code -> 0% hand written -> 50% and climbing. I think there are things LLMs are really good at coding up and expe

I feel like I have gone from 100% hand written code -> 0% hand written -> 50% and climbing. I think there are things LLMs are really good at coding up and experimenting with but I think there's still a need to understand the btoader context of your software so you need to dive in at some point.

dimonomid 12d ago
It's very important to understand what's happening, sure. Blindly shipping AI-produced code without understanding is just irresponsible. But how does writing code helps with that? Reading helps a lot, but writing just slows things down in my experience so far.
- bluefirebrand 12d ago
  You can't learn what good code is by reading it, you have to write code to learn what good code looks like
  - dimonomid 12d ago
    True, but having written enough (from many years of doing it full time), the returns from writing more are diminishing. But yes I agree that as part of learning effort it's important to write, too.
  - nrr 12d ago
    I'll push back against this slightly: learning what good code is requires debugging bad code, whether by way of a symbolic debugger or judicious use of printf() or breaking an algorithm down into its steps so that you can figure out its asymptotic behaviors. I harped on checking someone's ability to debug code back when I interviewed candidates, in part because I found that people who could debug effectively could also sniff out bad code. It was something of a bonus that I also happened to select for candidates who could explain their debugging strategies and what that meant for the software they were working on.
    - bluefirebrand 12d ago
      I don't really draw much distinction between debugging and writing code. You really can't do one very effectively without the other imo But you're right. The better indication of capability is debugging skill than writing skill.
      - nrr 12d ago
        It's kind of the same distinction between backups and restores, wherein the restores are what's important, but they're impossible without the backups to restore from. One of the first things I do in any new-to-me project is set breakpoints in the integration tests and start stepping through the code so that I can establish some mental context. However, if there aren't integration tests, I begin writing them so that I can walk around with my debugger.
- tripledry 12d ago
  I compare it to math, you can't learn it by reading it you need exercises. Same thing, reading is not sufficient. Just my experience.
  - dimonomid 12d ago
    Yeah if it's done as part of learning effort, then I def agree.
    - tripledry 12d ago
      [dead]
  - Gisbitus 12d ago
    Hard agree on this. I feel like it's pretty normal, but I struggle with retaining information by just reading. I really need the manual typing step to cement the knowledge.
arcrae 12d ago
I had a similar experience but I'm closer to 95-99% hand written again now. I still use AI for reviewing and prototyping, but it feels like writing the code myself is the best way to actually know what's going on.

dimonomid 12d ago

It's very important to understand what's happening, sure. Blindly shipping AI-produced code without understanding is just irresponsible. But how does writing code helps with that? Reading helps a lot, but writing just slows things down in my experience so far.

bluefirebrand 12d ago
You can't learn what good code is by reading it, you have to write code to learn what good code looks like
- dimonomid 12d ago
  True, but having written enough (from many years of doing it full time), the returns from writing more are diminishing. But yes I agree that as part of learning effort it's important to write, too.
- nrr 12d ago
  I'll push back against this slightly: learning what good code is requires debugging bad code, whether by way of a symbolic debugger or judicious use of printf() or breaking an algorithm down into its steps so that you can figure out its asymptotic behaviors. I harped on checking someone's ability to debug code back when I interviewed candidates, in part because I found that people who could debug effectively could also sniff out bad code. It was something of a bonus that I also happened to select for candidates who could explain their debugging strategies and what that meant for the software they were working on.
  - bluefirebrand 12d ago
    I don't really draw much distinction between debugging and writing code. You really can't do one very effectively without the other imo But you're right. The better indication of capability is debugging skill than writing skill.
    - nrr 12d ago
      It's kind of the same distinction between backups and restores, wherein the restores are what's important, but they're impossible without the backups to restore from. One of the first things I do in any new-to-me project is set breakpoints in the integration tests and start stepping through the code so that I can establish some mental context. However, if there aren't integration tests, I begin writing them so that I can walk around with my debugger.
tripledry 12d ago
I compare it to math, you can't learn it by reading it you need exercises. Same thing, reading is not sufficient. Just my experience.
- dimonomid 12d ago
  Yeah if it's done as part of learning effort, then I def agree.
  - tripledry 12d ago
    [dead]
- Gisbitus 12d ago
  Hard agree on this. I feel like it's pretty normal, but I struggle with retaining information by just reading. I really need the manual typing step to cement the knowledge.

arcrae 12d ago

I had a similar experience but I'm closer to 95-99% hand written again now. I still use AI for reviewing and prototyping, but it feels like writing the code myself is the best way to actually know what's going on.