Code Quality
17 articles about code quality.
Teaching AI Agents Taste Through Examples - Five Good, Five Bad
Showing examples works better than abstract guidelines for AI agents. Five good and five bad examples teach taste more effectively than pages of written rules.
When AI-Built Apps Need a Rewrite vs When They Are Good Enough
Not every AI-built app needs a professional rewrite. Here is how to evaluate whether your AI-generated code is production-ready or heading for trouble.
Maintaining Code Quality with AI Coding Agents
AI agents write plausible code that passes review at a glance. Enforce quality with CLAUDE.md conventions, mandatory linter runs, and automated test gates.
5000 Lines of Code Per Day - Why the Metric Is Meaningless Even for AI
AI agents can write thousands of lines of code daily. But lines of code was always a bad metric - and AI makes it even more obvious. What actually matters
Architecture Decision Records with Code References - Holding Architects Accountable
ADRs are only useful when they point to working code. Adding code references to Architecture Decision Records creates accountability and makes decisions
The Beauty of Deleting Code - Why Less Is Almost Always Better
The best engineering days are when you delete more lines than you write. How a 600-line parser became 40 lines of stdlib and why simplicity wins.
How CLAUDE.md Prevents AI Agents from Writing Goop Code
The single biggest improvement for AI-generated code quality is describing your architecture in a CLAUDE.md file before the agent touches anything. Here is
What Is Behind /simplify - Fighting Over-Engineering in AI Code
AI-generated code tends toward over-engineering - unnecessary abstractions, premature optimization, and enterprise patterns for simple problems. Here is how
Personality Is a Luxury Tax on AI Agents - How Trimming CLAUDE.md Improved Output
Personality is a luxury tax. Trimming CLAUDE.md personality instructions improved code output quality by reducing token waste and keeping the agent focused
How to Prevent AI-Generated Spaghetti Code with CLAUDE.md and Detailed Specs
AI coding agents produce cleaner code when given detailed specifications and CLAUDE.md constraints. Here's how to prevent goop code before it starts.
When Scaffolding Becomes Architecture in AI Agent Code
Scaffolding you refuse to take down becomes architecture eventually. How temporary workarounds in AI agent codebases become permanent fixtures and what to
Understanding vs Just Shipping: The Hidden Cost of AI-Generated Code You Cannot Explain
When AI writes code that works but you do not understand why, you are building on a foundation you cannot debug. Learn when to ship and when to understand
Vibe Coding Is Not an Excuse to Skip Code Review
Your CTO saying 'just vibe code it' is not a strategy. Using AI to ship faster works - but only if you still review what it produces.
Why Vibe Coded Projects Fail at Scale
Vibe coding with AI is great for prototypes but breaks down at scale. Here is why, and how to transition to structured AI-assisted development before it is
AI Coding Tools Made Me Mass-Produce Bad Code Faster
AI-generated code looks plausible even when it is wrong. Handwritten bugs are easier to spot. AI bugs have correct syntax but wrong logic.
Put 'Challenge My Assumptions' in Your CLAUDE.md
Adding assumption-challenging directives to CLAUDE.md prevents AI agents from blindly implementing bad ideas. Make your agent argue with you before it builds.
Maintaining Code Quality with AI Agents - CLAUDE.md Standards Plus Pre-Commit Hooks
A detailed CLAUDE.md with explicit coding standards combined with pre-commit hooks is the biggest lever for AI agent code quality. Here is how to set it up.