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Ask HN: Best practices using AI as an experienced web dev

9 points thebordella | 1 comments | 17 Nov 24 23:26 UTC | HN request time: 0.372s | source

As an Old, I came up learning the OG web dev languages - HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, etc. As a solo dev, I still largely work with these as natively as possible. But I am not a total dinosaur. I embraced jQuery in the early 2000's, Bootstrap scaffolding, and now often build reactive UI's using Vue 3.

Still, I continue to be picky about the many abstractions-of-abstractions that litter the dev landscape, mostly devised to drive their founders' business models.

AI-driven co-pilots are red hot now, and I want to evaluate their usefulness to my style of dev work. I've begun dabbling with services like Codeium and Claude, particularly within VSCode.

At first these AI tools seem exciting. A whole function conjured out of thin air from a short prompt! But the more I test drive, the more I find that I'm spending my time trying to craft prompts that are accurate enough to generate the code I want. Whereas I could be using that time to just conceive and write the code myself.

If you are not already well-versed in your coding languages, these AI tools must save a ton of time and effort. My question is - what about you devs who are already proficient in your languages of choice? How do you leverage AI co-pilots to maximize their usefulness without just falling into the "distracted by another abstraction" hole?

1. starlite-5008 ◴[20 Nov 24 13:59 UTC] No.42193983[source]▶
To effectively use AI as an experienced web developer, consider the following best practices:

Integration of AI Tools: Incorporate AI tools for tasks like code generation, debugging, and optimization. These can significantly save time and enhance productivity.

Testing and Validation: Rigorously test AI models and tools to ensure they perform as expected. This includes checking for biases and ensuring that outputs are reliable and safe for production.

Stay Updated: Continuously learn about new AI technologies and frameworks that can improve your development process. The field is rapidly evolving, and staying informed will help you leverage the latest advancements.

Ethical Considerations: Build responsible applications by considering the ethical implications of AI. Use pre-existing safety mechanisms and be transparent about AI usage in your applications.

Collaboration: Work with other developers and data scientists to share knowledge and best practices, which can lead to more innovative uses of AI in web development.

Always remember to double-check important information and stay informed about the latest trends and technologies in AI and web development.