AI for Software / Development
Developers are among AI's heaviest users. The productivity gains are real; so is the pile of confidently wrong code that ships when nobody reads it.
Where AI genuinely helps
Boilerplate and scaffolding
CRUD endpoints, config files, type definitions and migrations — repetitive code AI writes quickly.
Debugging partner
Paste the error, the stack trace and the relevant code. It's often faster at spotting the obvious thing you've stared past.
Tests
Generating edge-case tests for an existing function is one of the highest-value uses — it finds cases you didn't think of.
Explaining unfamiliar code
Getting oriented in a legacy codebase or a new library is much faster with a patient explainer.
Where your judgment stays primary
Review every line
AI code compiles and looks right while hiding subtle logic bugs. You're still accountable for what merges.
Security is not automatic
Generated code routinely misses input validation, uses insecure defaults, or invents package names attackers can register. Check dependencies exist and are the real ones.
Secrets stay out
Don't paste API keys, credentials or proprietary code into tools your organisation hasn't approved.
Architecture is a judgment call
AI suggests patterns from the average of its training data. Your system's constraints are specific.
Agentic coding tools raise real questions about oversight and risk. Read the ethics hub.
Prompts for software / development
Fill in the brackets and paste into any AI tool. Want more? Try the Prompt Generator.
Debug with context
I'm getting this error: [error + stack trace]. Here's the relevant code: [code]. Stack: [language/framework/version]. List the three most likely causes in order, how to confirm each, and the fix for the most likely one. Don't rewrite unrelated code.
Edge-case tests
Write [test framework] tests for the function below. Cover the happy path, boundary values, empty and null inputs, and at least two failure modes. Name each test after the behaviour it checks. [paste function]
Security review
Review this code for security issues: injection, missing auth checks, unsafe deserialisation, secrets in code, and missing input validation. For each finding give the line, the risk and a fix. [paste code]
Explain a codebase file
Explain what this file does for a developer new to the codebase: its responsibility, the main flow, what calls it, and anything surprising or fragile. [paste file]