Do you still read the code?
17 hours ago
- The question 'Do you still read the code?' implies a theory of progress, suggesting code reading is becoming obsolete, but the author argues this is premature.
- There are two approaches to AI in programming: accelerators, who use AI to speed up coding while retaining understanding, and vibecoders, who delegate implementation to AI and focus on specification and evaluation.
- Accelerators read generated code to maintain understanding, while vibecoders treat implementation as disposable, investing in specification and generation instead.
- The article emphasizes that the real product of programming is the theory or model behind the code, not the code itself, citing Peter Naur's work.
- A key challenge is preventing 'drift' where accelerators unintentionally become vibecoders without the necessary harness for specification and evaluation.
- Putting accelerators and vibecoders on the same team without clear expectations can cause significant friction, as they have different maintenance responsibilities.
- Reviewing AI-generated code is crucial for accelerators to spot divergences between understanding and implementation, but it's not sufficient to pay off 'intent debt'.
- The future of AI-assisted programming may involve different paths, but ceasing to read code is not inherently progress; maintaining human understanding remains essential.