Comment by anditherobot
3 days ago
Have you tried Scoped context packages? Basically for each task, I create a .md file that includes relevant file paths, the purpose of the task, key dependencies, a clear plan of action, and a test strategy. It’s like a mini local design doc. I found that it helps ground implementation and stabilizes the output of the agents.
I read this suggestion a lot. “Make clear steps, a clear plan of action.” Which I get. But then instead of having an LLM flail away at it could we give to an actual developer? It seems like we’ve finally realized that clear specs makes dev work much easier for LLMs. But the same is true for a human. The human will ask more clarifying questions and not hallucinate. The llm will role the dice and pick a path. Maybe we as devs would just rather talk with machines.
I'm using it to help me build what I want and learn how. It being incorrect and needing questioning isn't that bad, so long as you ARE questioning it. It has brought up so many concepts, parameters, etc that would be difficult to find and learn alone. Documentation can often be very difficult to parse. Llms make it easier.
Yes, but the difference is that an LLM produces the result instantly, whereas a human might take hours or days.
So if you can get the spec right, and the LLM+agent harness is good enough, you can move much, much faster. It's not always true to the same degree, obviously.
Getting the spec right, and knowing what tasks to use it on -- that's the hard part that people are grappling with, in most contexts.
> Maybe we as devs would just rather talk with machines.
This is kind of how I feel. Chat as an interaction is mentally taxing for me.