Post #1033598

2026-04-08 18:19 UTC

Coding has never been about the actual writing of code. Coding is about understanding a problem, breaking it down into individual bits that you can describe programmatically (literally and figuratively), and assembling all those bits back together in a way that doesn't introduce new problems. When you outsource the programmatic bits (offshore, or to an agent) you run the risk that the solution will introduce new problems because of a mismatch in understanding. And if you're not fully reviewing and understanding the output (from an offshore contractor or from an agent), will you even know that the programmatic solution was built on a faulty understanding of the problem?

Replies (1)

@fedward@distraction.party 2026-04-08 18:23

FWIW I'm not 100% against offshoring, but I'm realistic about how much more intensely an offshore contract has to be managed, and I know it doesn't actually save much money since it just shifts which costs you're bearing directly. With coding agents, there's a similar problem, only you're prompting an agent that flatters you and makes you think everything is going to be OK, while it simultaneously encourages you not to look too closely at its output. Plus you're not (yet) paying the bill for the full cost of the service you're using, because the growth phase is heavily subsidized. A company that reduces staffing levels because it's relying on subsidized agents that produce lines of code in excess of its ability to review them is digging itself into multiple holes: no current, complete understanding of the code being generated, no expertise or excess capacity available to solve problems introduced by the coding agents, and an addiction to a service that isn't going to be subsidized forever. What a mess.

Open ##1033599