Notes on rolling out Cursor and Claude Code
a year ago
- #developer productivity
- #software development
- #AI in coding
- AI coding tools like Cursor and Claude Code are being adopted by developers, with varying preferences and usage patterns.
- Productivity gains from using AI agents are estimated at around 20%, though effectiveness varies by task.
- AI agents excel at increasing coding ambition, understanding unfamiliar codebases, and handling refactors, especially in frontend code.
- Challenges include remembering to use AI tools, the potential for incorrect fixes in bug reports, and the loss of individual coding styles.
- AI-generated code can be overly commented and lacks the elegance of human-written code in some cases.
- Making codebases 'AI-friendly' involves setting up specific rules and ensuring tests are easy to run.
- Mandating AI use is seen as unnecessary, as the productivity benefits encourage voluntary adoption.
- The future of coding with AI includes the emergence of '10x prompters' and continued focus on defining what software should do.