Choose Boring Technology, Revisited

9 months ago

The article revisits the 'Choose Boring Technology' philosophy, emphasizing the importance of using well-understood, reliable technologies for solving problems.
Dan McKinley's argument about limited 'innovation tokens' is highlighted, advocating for strategic use of established technologies over unproven ones.
The advent of AI coding tools introduces new challenges, as they can generate plausible but potentially flawed code for unfamiliar technologies.
Using AI with unfamiliar technologies multiplies unknowns, making it hard to verify the correctness or appropriateness of the generated code.
AI tools are most effective when used with technologies the developer already understands, allowing for accurate review and fact-checking of generated code.
Practical guidelines include evaluating whether you can review AI-generated code for a new technology before adopting it and resisting the temptation to take on multiple new technologies simultaneously.
The article warns against the false confidence that AI-generated code can instill, as problematic code may look professional but contain subtle issues.
The core advice remains: use familiar technologies for problem-solving and limit learning new technologies to one at a time, ensuring deep understanding.

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