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Even though I’m a much better Python than JavaScript developer, with AI assistance, I’ve been writing a lot of JavaScript code recently. AI-assisted coding, including vibe coding, is making specific programming languages less important, even though learning one is still helpful to make sure you understand the key concepts. This is helping many developers write code in languages we’re not familiar with, which lets us get code working in many more contexts!
My background is in machine learning engineering and back-end development, but AI-assisted coding is making it easy for me to build front-end systems (the part of a website or app that users interact with) using JavaScript (JS) or TypeScript (TS), languages that I am weak in. Generative AI is making syntax less important, so we can all simultaneously be Python, JS, TS, C++, Java, and even Cobol developers. Perhaps one day, instead of being “Python developers" or “C++ developers,” many more of us will just be “developers”!
But understanding the concepts behind different languages is still important. That’s why learning at least one language like Python still offers a great foundation for prompting LLMs to generate code in Python and other languages. If you move from one programming language to another that carries out similar tasks but with different syntax — say, from JS to TS, or C++ to Java, or Rust to Go — once you’ve learned the first set of concepts, you’ll know a lot of the concepts needed to prompt an LLM to code in the second language. (Although TensorFlow and PyTorch are not programming languages, learning the concepts of deep learning behind TensorFlow will also make it much easier to get an LLM to write PyTorch code for you, and vice versa!) In addition, you’ll be able to understand much of the generated code (perhaps with a little LLM assistance).
Different programming languages reflect different views of how to organize computation, and understanding the concepts is still important. For example, someone who does not understand arrays, dictionaries, caches, and memory will be less effective at getting an LLM to write code in most languages.
Similarly, a Python developer who moves toward doing more front-end programming with JS would benefit from learning the concepts behind front-end systems. For example, if you want an LLM to build a front end using the React framework, it will benefit you to understand how React breaks front ends into reusable UI components, and how it updates the DOM data structure that determines what web pages look like. This lets you prompt the LLM much more precisely, and helps you understand how to fix issues if something goes wrong. Similarly, if you want an LLM to help you write code in CUDA or ROCm, it helps to understand how GPUs organize compute and memory.
Just as people who are fluent in multiple human languages can communicate more easily with other people, LLMs are making it easier for developers to build systems in multiple contexts. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to try having an LLM write some code in a language you’d like to learn but perhaps haven’t yet gotten around to, and see if it helps you get some new applications to work.
[Original text: https://t.co/NdjaPgwwuk ]
@muriminyaga@kellabyte Is this not something from @unclebobmartin ? I guess it really depends on what the code is doing. If it's very complex code the. You may want comments or at least a reference to some material. We are looking at using architectural decision records
@CitizenUddin@deirdrecostigan Hi @CitizenUddin. I'm a cyclist based in Ealing as well. If you could maybe follow me so we can chat... I cycle with my son and I'm involved in cycling as well. Look forward to hearing from you. Youeee
@ijrussell Oddly enough I've been thinking of vt220 terminals recently. Wondering in my crazy mind if I could integrate it into some form of chat gpt terminal....
@CBikeLondon Ah darn... The world is strange. It's actually someone who should know better. However most lollipop people are probably not in the 20% tax bracket even....