You cannot outsource thinking to LLMs, at least not yet, if ever. You have to be part of the whole process. You need to have knowledge. If you have no idea what it is doing or what you want it to do, you are going to have a difficult time.
The programming language eliminates some (incorrect syntax) while the type system get rid of others (contract error). We also have linter that helps us with harmful patterns. But the range of errors is still enormous. So what’s the probability of having the LLMs be error free or as close as possible to the intended result?
We as humans have reduced the probability of error by having libraries of correct code (or outsourcing the correction of code), thus having a firmer and cognitively manageable foundation to create new code. As well as not having to rely on language to solve problems.
I just don’t see it like this; code is craft, and there are ten ways to solve any given problem. Reasonable people can select different tradeoffs, and taste is also a big factor.
Maybe if you are working in very low-level algorithmic, compiler, or protocol development it’s less ambiguous. But almost all software is written many layers above that.
I’m sure if you already sat down and thought through every detail, you might find LLMs slow you down vs typing. Many people use the process of writing, or the process of iterating with customers, to flesh out the ambiguous detail; in which case improving cycle time can improve your time to PMF.
Maybe if all you do is code, but that’s not how most people work. Being able write I need these things done in this way and then attend a meeting or start researching the next thing is valuable. And because of my other obligations there’s no way I could do more without Claude.
In my case it is not slower, so it works for me. I cannot speak for others.
