AI Coding Agents: From Helpful Assistants to Essential Partners

The author recounts a transformative shift in their workflow due to autonomous AI coding agents. Initially viewed as a neat curiosity, these agents have become indispensable, dramatically changing how software is shipped. The author details using tools like Claude and Codex to complete tasks ranging from bug fixes to code generation, resulting in significant productivity gains. While acknowledging limitations, such as the potential for getting stuck in local optima, the author believes AI coding agents represent a new era in software development, augmenting rather than replacing developers.