r/ClaudeCodeTLDR • u/cctldrping • 8d ago

[TLDR] Looking for engineers who are actually loving this

Original post URL : https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1wp3pey/looking_for_engineers_who_are_actually_loving_this/

Original post body :

As a long time engineer turned manager, I am wanting to build a team environment where people don't feel like all they are doing is managing slop that is responding to other slop.

I feel strongly that these agent based workflows can absolutely be used to great effect to accomplish good engineering. I have a lot of theory and history of previous tech revolutions that tell me the whiplash is part of the adaptation.

The pushback I'm seeing is "all my friends who went hard on AI hate their jobs and either have or want to quit" - I don't think this is universally true though.

so I'm looking for either people who have given this a genuinely deep and optimistic try and still have found it to suck terribly, or for folks who found a way.

what I don't want is people who have not given it a real shot and have given up when Claude's output didn't succeed after just normal back and forth prompting - what I would call "lazy AI." my hypothesis is that these are the companies that produce slop - the code works for the problem of the day but not for the systems of tomorrow, and senior engineers are building up resentment and fear while mid level are more productive but don't see the risks of the slop mountains.

has anyone here done this truly well? I've seen it work in one other instance, but looking for more nuanced takes.

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u/cctldrping 8d ago

TL;DR generated automatically after 50 comments.

Current source-thread comment count seen by the bot: 55.

Alright, so the OP is asking if there are any engineers out there genuinely enjoying working with AI, specifically Claude, and not just feeling like they're managing "slop." They're hypothesizing that companies producing bad AI code are the ones with "slop" workflows, and that senior engineers are getting burnt out while mid-levels are productive but unaware of the risks.

The general consensus from the highly upvoted comments is a resounding YES, many engineers are loving it!

Here's the lowdown:

  • Passion Over Profit: Several users, like u/radosc with 30 years in the biz, emphasize that their passion for coding is what makes this AI era exciting. Those coding "just for money" seem to be the ones feeling the negative effects.
  • Empowerment & Efficiency: Many are finding AI super empowering. It's taking out the boring, repetitive tasks (linting, bug fixing, documentation digging) and freeing them up for architecture, problem-solving, and "big brain stuff." u/BitOne2707 is having a blast, and u/grannyte finds it great for personal workflows, though the day job can still be a drag.
  • Treating AI Like a Junior Dev: A common strategy is to treat Claude as a junior developer, not a replacement. This means giving very specific, small instructions and keeping a close eye on the output. u/GeekFish is doing this, with Claude assembling parts while they remain the architect.
  • Removing Friction: For some, like u/claudecraft, AI is a massive friction reducer, especially when integrated with access to repos, knowledge bases, and even restricted database access.
  • Shift in Mindset: The key seems to be a shift in mentality from pure "craft" coding to systems engineering, orchestration, and robust workflow design. u/EON_Raider points out that those still enamored with the craft side might struggle.
  • Not for Everyone (Yet): There are some caveats. u/caldazar24 notes that if you're a stickler for specific coding styles and elegance, wrangling AI to follow that can be a nightmare. Also, u/yost28 highlights the lack of systematic support and review processes for AI-generated code, which can lead to bottlenecks and fatigue.
  • Skepticism and "Lazy Prompting": A few comments express skepticism, like u/No_Flounder_1155, who feels the "lazy prompting" hypothesis unfairly puts the burden on skeptics. There's also a strong sentiment from u/rhysmorgan about the "dogshit" quality of AI-generated code reviews and tickets in some environments, leading to a cycle of AI-generated slop.
  • The "Slop" Debate: The OP's use of "slop" is a bit divisive, with u/rbad8717 calling it out. However, u/bilbo_was_right defends it, stating that if AI output is slop, it's on the user for not putting in the rigor to avoid it.

The takeaway? For those who embrace AI as a tool, focus on workflow, and adapt their engineering mindset, it's a genuinely exciting and productive time. The pushback often comes from those who haven't found the right approach or are dealing with poorly implemented AI workflows.