Changelog Master Feed Adventures in babysitting coding agents (Changelog & Friends #96)
21 snips
Jun 6, 2025 
Steve Yegge, a prolific software engineer at Sourcegraph and co-author of the Vibe Coding book, shares his fresh insights after a productive vibe coding stint. He argues the IDE is dead, emphasizing the thrill of babysitting AI agents over traditional coding. Yegge also discusses how coding roles are evolving as AI tools transform workflows, the rising importance of collaboration, and practical strategies for maximizing coding agent potential. With a mix of excitement and caution, he reflects on the societal implications of these advancements.
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The IDE Is Declining
- The traditional IDE is becoming less central in coding workflows.
- Developers are increasingly using cloud and terminal-based coding with AI agents for actual code writing and review.
AI Fixes Emacs Bugs Overnight
- Steve Yegge had an AI agent fix longstanding bugs in his Emacs shell startup overnight.
- Despite risks, the agent autonomously cleaned and improved his code base, highlighting AI potential in real tasks.
AI Mastery Drives Career Success
- Success in future enterprises depends on mastering AI and managing multiple agents.
- Traditional credentials matter less than cognitive agility with AI tools and collaboration skills.
