💡Using AI for Coding - Part 1: Choose the White or Black Box
For maximum effectiveness when using AI to develop code, I recommend one of two opposite approaches. In my experience, these contrasting methods yield better results than any compromise solution.
⬜️ 1. The White Box: Pair Programming
In this approach, you effectively take on both 'driver' and 'navigator' roles simultaneously. The key principle is maintaining full control and visibility over all code because, ultimately, it's yours.
AI serves as an extremely helpful partner for discussing specific aspects of code architecture, design patterns, optimization techniques, and similar topics. However, never reduce yourself to a simple 'driver' who only performs copy-paste operations. This is a dead end that will quickly turn your codebase into a total mess!
⬛️ 2. The Black Box: Test-Driven Development
This is the approach I'm currently experimenting with in my AI code generator project. With this method, you might not even look at the final code you're developing at all. Instead, your main focus shifts to creating:
• Proper prompts
• Appropriate AI-model settings
• Comprehensive test suites
These elements together ensure your code works as expected, without you needing to understand every implementation detail.
Why Extremes Work Better
So we have two distinct cases: the white box with full control over code development, or the black box where you control only inputs and outputs. My experience suggests that any kind of "gray box" approach will be less efficient, primarily impacting your development skills and time investment.
Adopting a mixed "gray box" approach often gives you the worst of both worlds. Instead of boosting productivity, this middle ground typically creates unnecessary complexity and duplicates work without delivering the real benefits of either pure approach. You'll find yourself juggling opposing strategies rather than fully leveraging the strengths of either method.
What are your thoughts on these approaches? I'd be very interested in your comments 😁
#Thoughts #Experience
For maximum effectiveness when using AI to develop code, I recommend one of two opposite approaches. In my experience, these contrasting methods yield better results than any compromise solution.
⬜️ 1. The White Box: Pair Programming
In this approach, you effectively take on both 'driver' and 'navigator' roles simultaneously. The key principle is maintaining full control and visibility over all code because, ultimately, it's yours.
AI serves as an extremely helpful partner for discussing specific aspects of code architecture, design patterns, optimization techniques, and similar topics. However, never reduce yourself to a simple 'driver' who only performs copy-paste operations. This is a dead end that will quickly turn your codebase into a total mess!
⬛️ 2. The Black Box: Test-Driven Development
This is the approach I'm currently experimenting with in my AI code generator project. With this method, you might not even look at the final code you're developing at all. Instead, your main focus shifts to creating:
• Proper prompts
• Appropriate AI-model settings
• Comprehensive test suites
These elements together ensure your code works as expected, without you needing to understand every implementation detail.
Why Extremes Work Better
So we have two distinct cases: the white box with full control over code development, or the black box where you control only inputs and outputs. My experience suggests that any kind of "gray box" approach will be less efficient, primarily impacting your development skills and time investment.
Adopting a mixed "gray box" approach often gives you the worst of both worlds. Instead of boosting productivity, this middle ground typically creates unnecessary complexity and duplicates work without delivering the real benefits of either pure approach. You'll find yourself juggling opposing strategies rather than fully leveraging the strengths of either method.
What are your thoughts on these approaches? I'd be very interested in your comments 😁
#Thoughts #Experience
🔥2