Writing Code Is Easy. Reading It Isn't

Comments (3)

HuwFulcher · 5h ago

This is a challenge which I don't think AI tools like Cursor have cracked yet. They're great for laying "fresh pavement" but it's akin to being a project manager contracting the work out.

Even if I use Cursor (or some other equivalent) and review the code I find my mental model of the system is much more lacking. It actually had a net negative on my productivity as it gave me anxiety at going back to the codebase.

If an AI tool could help a user interactively learn the mental model I think that would be a great step in the right direction.

catigula · 25m ago

An AI tool can both navigate a legacy codebase and help explain it to you successfully currently, right now, if you're doing it correctly.

I've contracted some of this understanding of pieces/intellectual work out to Claude code many, many times successfully.

vivzkestrel · 39m ago

I am really bad at reading code to be honest (especially other people's code). Any tips on how I can go about becoming good at this like starting from baby steps?

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Writing Code Is Easy. Reading It Isn't

Comments (3)