Forem: Cesar Aguirre

[Even when AI is capable of writing all of our code], a huge issue remains: I lose my mental model of the codebase.
...
Until I can trust the AI completely, I need to keep my own mental model alive. Otherwise, every time I need to do something myself feels like joining a new company.

It takes time to get familiar with a complex codebase.

At past jobs, it took me about a year to feel confident. Of course, your mileage may vary.

But when that happens, you feel like driving through familiar streets with only one hand on the wheel:

You know the architecture, the folder structure, and even a rough sketch of code blocks.
You know how modules connect and what to touch or avoid.
You can even remember file and function names.

You've built the mental models and gained all the context. Without them, you feel like walking into a dark room.

When AI writes our code, it's stealing the context and the feeling of knowing a codebase like the palm of your hand.

Use AI if you want, but be the one dictating what to do.
Draw the boundaries of the solution, then let AI fill in the details.
Be the pilot and let AI be your copilot.

When AI can handle syntax, it's time to work on skills it can't, like collaboration, clear communication, and problem-solving. That's why I wrote Street-Smart Coding, the roadmap I wish I had on my journey from junior to senior.

20+ signs you're a real programmer (using two monitors isn't one)...

Cesar Aguirre — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:07:04 +0000

Cesar Aguirre

Mar 24 '25

You're Not a Programmer Until...

#watercooler #discuss #programming #jokes

141

Comments 64

3 min read

If AI writes 90% of our code, becoming a polyglot coder isn't valuable anymore.

Cesar Aguirre — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:12:47 +0000

Cesar Aguirre

Apr 20

If AI Finally Writes 90% of Code, You Don't Need to Learn So Many Languages

#coding #beginners #programming #ai

Comments 6

2 min read

If AI Finally Writes 90% of Code, You Don't Need to Learn So Many Languages

Cesar Aguirre — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

We no longer need to keep learning new programming languages.

If AI writes 90% of our code, becoming a polyglot coder isn't valuable anymore.

Here's what Gergely Orosz, from The Pragmatic Engineer, says in When AI Writes All Code,

...With AI writing most of the code, the advantage of knowing several languages will become less important when any engineer can jump into any codebase and ask the AI to implement a feature – which it will probably take a decent stab at. Even better, you can ask AI to explain parts of the codebase and quickly pick up a language much faster than without AI tools.

Obsessing over learning languages didn't work for me. That was before AI.

Trying to master many languages was my biggest mistake as a new coder. Something else always made people stand out. And something else got me into trouble.

The real question is what skills matter—apart from mastering syntax

Maybe AI is making us:

Master one general-purpose language, like C or Go.
Understand core principles: problem decomposition, SOLID, and clean code.
Develop strong code-reading skills.

Or maybe we should learn one language that challenge our thinking: Haskell, LISP, or a language from a different paradigm. (Learning Java after C# doesn't teach much.)

Not because you'll use it daily, AI can generate code in "challenging" languages, but it builds stronger problem-solving skills and rewires how you think. Helpful skills for prompting LLMs.

To stand out when AI shines at coding, we need to step beyond the IDE. We need teamwork, communication, and the broader skills I cover in Street-Smart Coding. It's the roadmap I wish I had when starting out.

You're the surgeon and AI is your supporting team.

Cesar Aguirre — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:34:24 +0000

Surgical metaphors and documentation use cases

Cesar Aguirre

Apr 13

Two Ways to Think of AI Without Outsourcing Your Mind

#coding #beginners #ai #webdev

Comments 4

1 min read

#1. AI is a powerful calculator in math class

Cesar Aguirre — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:10:45 +0000

Surgical metaphors and documentation use cases

Cesar Aguirre

Apr 13

Two Ways to Think of AI Without Outsourcing Your Mind

#coding #beginners #ai #webdev

Comments 4

1 min read

Two Ways to Think of AI Without Outsourcing Your Mind

Cesar Aguirre — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

#1. AI is a powerful calculator in math class

In school, you only use a calculator after years of doing arithmetic by hand.

Even with a calculator, you can't simply enter an entire problem or equation to get an answer. You still work through the steps before speeding up the answer. Use AI the same way.

Build skills, then leverage AI.

#2. AI is like an assistant nurse in an operating room

A surgery isn't a task for a single person.

In a surgery, there's a nurse, an anesthesiologist, and a surgeon. I only know from binge-watching House M.D., but operating rooms are full of specialists.

The nurse helps to monitor the patient.
The anesthesiologist keeps the patient asleep.
But the surgeon coordinates the procedure and is always in charge.

The surgeon doesn't tell the nurse,

"Act as an expert surgeon and run the procedure. Check your steps and don't make mistakes."

You're the surgeon and AI is your supporting team.

Like calculators and operating rooms, coding with AI requires real skills first. I wrote Street-Smart Coding to help you build them. Because you need more than syntax to stand out.

Choose wisely. Or wait to leave when sick, bored, fired, or burned out.

Cesar Aguirre — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:51:42 +0000

WeCoded 2026: Echoes of Experience 💜

Cesar Aguirre

Mar 23

The Most Painful Career Lesson My Best Job Taught Me

#devchallenge #wecoded #dei #career

Comments 38

3 min read

A simple action will put you in the top 52% of coders from these stats

Cesar Aguirre — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:26:19 +0000

Cesar Aguirre

Mar 2

The Numbers That Deflate the AI Hype About Replacing Coders—and Ease FOMO

#coding #beginners #programming #ai

Comments 19

2 min read

Coding skills still matter. Without them, we wouldn't even notice when AI generates garbage.

Cesar Aguirre — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:02:55 +0000

Cesar Aguirre

Apr 6

Build Real Coding Skills—Then Use AI (In That Order)

#coding #beginners #softwaredevelopment #programming

Comments

2 min read

Build Real Coding Skills—Then Use AI (In That Order)

Cesar Aguirre — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 +0000

In the days of StackOverflow, we had to verify answers. Now, too often, we accept AI's output without question.

Catching AI red-handed

The other day, in another adventure with AI, I asked Copilot to turn a couple of SQL table definitions into mapping classes for Entity Framework Core. It was the classical 1-to-many relationship.

The problem came when I asked it to generate an API endpoint to store a parent record with a bunch of child records. Something like: create a parent record from this request, then read a table to create its children.

Its first solution was to persist the parent record. Then inside a loop, persist every child record. The classical N+1 problem. Well, the inverse one. Arrggg!

When I prompted it to change it, saying there was no need for the loop, it replied with a "Yes, you can simplify it that way." Caught you Copilot!

Why coding skills still matter

The N+1 problem was something I could find on the spot.

Now imagine how many AI answers we blindly accept without question. When coding, documenting, researching, testing...

Coding skills still matter. Without them, we wouldn't even notice the problem.

Blindly trusting AI is what makes us say AI kills CS degrees, what gets us into trouble, what makes us dangerously lazy.

Reviewing the code AI spits out puts in the top 50% of coders. The other 50% don't always review. You still need your coding muscles for that.

AI is like a semi-autonomous car. It always needs hands on the wheel. Build skills. Then leverage AI—Keep your hand on the wheel.

To help you build hype-proof skills, I wrote Street-Smart Coding. Because syntax alone won't make you stand out.