Appreciation post: My old way of writing code felt like digging a ditch

For about five years, I'd stare at a blank editor and just start typing functions, hoping they'd fit together. Last spring, I started using GitHub Copilot for a project in Python. The first time it suggested a whole data cleaning function I needed, it saved me maybe two hours of typing and debugging. Now I write a clear comment about what a piece of code should do, and let the AI draft the structure. It's not perfect, but it turns a blank page problem into an editing problem, which is way easier for me. Has anyone else found that using an AI coding assistant changed their actual thought process, not just their speed?

2 comments

2 Comments

henry_hernandez10d ago

So does it ever get the structure wrong in a way that makes you rethink the problem?

derekcarr10d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah all the time @henry_hernandez lol. It can mess up the basic setup so bad that you realize your own idea was flawed from the start. Makes you go back and question your first move. That wrong answer shows you a path you didn't even see. Honestly those mistakes are low key helpful. Forces a total reset.