Coding with LLMs makes for awesome demos… but in the real world code is spread across files and in a mix of states. Using tools like ChatGPT are frequently tedious and not the pinnacle of productivity their boosters purport them to be. However they are getting better and GitHub Copilot Edits within Visual Studio really does feel like the future of building apps.
Vibe coding on Windows is simple:
- Enter prompt
- Accept all changes
- Save all files (ctrl + shift + s)
- F5
- Review & maybe refine
- Repeat
When you hit upon something valuable do some code style and clean up to your liking and commit. A huge prerequisite to the freedom of vibe coding is the safety provided by git. Being able to roll back changes to know good states or jumping between branches makes the risks of changing files incredibly low.
Pros
- Idea to prototype 10x faster
- Less boiler plate
- Reading an implementation helps solidify the right approach
- Less getting stuck on a problem
- Validate implementation theories instead of just continuing to think about them
It is not all sunshine and roses. There are some awkward elements.
Cons
- Tends to just write code and not architect
- Debugging takes 2x longer
- API Limits
- “Fixes” breaking working parts of the app
- Project conventions not being followed
- Modern .NET patterns not being used
- Generating common code but probably should be using a library
A lot of the most recent Magick Crop & Measure features were initially generated with Visual Studio 2022 Copilot Edits. I tend to start with Claude 3.7 Sonnet, but GPT-4o is also usually pretty good. I love using this as an accelerator because I’m handing off a task, not the responsibility; it is still up to me to get it right before shipping.
Remember we are in the hype cycle where this work is mostly VC funded. It is like when an Uber cost $5 and now they are $40. I do not expect to be using these LLMs at this level for very long. I would not be surprised if prices go up and I return to coding every single line myself again. But until then, you should try to squeeze as much value out of these coding assistants as you can!
Let me know how it goes for you!
Joe
JoeFin Apps 