Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats 1031: My Coding Skills Are Atrophying
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Aug 19, 2026 They debate whether AI autocomplete is causing coding skill loss and what relearning fundamentals looks like. They weigh leaving VS Code for newer editors and how AI features change workflows. They discuss chasing deep flow with agents and strategies to keep focus. They compare AT Protocol and Solid, and talk about making AI setups portable across tools and subscriptions.
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Try New Editors On A Side Project First
- Don't rush to abandon VS Code; pare down extensions and try new tools on a side project first.
- Wes and Scott suggest experimenting (e.g., Zed) short-term to learn new workflows without disrupting main productivity.
AI Interruptions Destroy Flow By Fragmenting Attention
- AI increases context-switching latency and attention fragmentation, which breaks deep coding flow.
- Scott says working on many projects and waiting on model responses pulls you into distractions like his “AirBud” tangent analogy.
Limit Open Projects To Keep Flow
- Restore flow by limiting concurrent projects and staying an active participant in the code.
- Scott recommends working on one thing at a time and avoiding starting new tasks while waiting on AI output.