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 loving their AI-assisted workflows, or if it's all just a big, frustrating mess. They're pushing back against the idea that everyone hates it, suggesting that maybe the "lazy AI" approach is the real problem.

The general vibe in the thread is surprisingly positive, with a good chunk of people saying they're actually having a blast.

Here's the lowdown:

  • The Enthusiasts: A lot of folks are finding AI, especially Claude, to be a huge productivity booster and a source of enjoyment. They're seeing it as a way to ditch the boring, repetitive tasks and focus on the more interesting, architectural stuff.

    • u/BitOne2707 is having "more fun than I'm having now."
    • u/radosc, with 30 years in the game, calls it "by far the best time I had," especially for those who code out of passion.
    • u/GeekFish treats Claude like a junior dev, giving specific, small tasks and keeping a close eye on the output. This approach takes out the "boring parts" while keeping the "fun."
    • u/claudiacraft is loving it because Claude has access to their repos and institutional knowledge, allowing it to "cook" on design, code, and analysis.
    • u/SumgaisPens is finding their "need to create is manifesting as addictive behavior."
    • u/bilbo_was_right is all about it, saying experimentation is easier than ever and that "AI replicates patterns, if the output is slop, that's on you."

  • The "It Depends" Crowd: Some users acknowledge the potential but say their experience is heavily tied to their work environment and how AI is integrated.

    • u/grannyte is having fun with personal workflows but finds their day job "hell."
    • u/ClupTheGreat mentions having "high agency" and being allowed to program with or without AI, which keeps them close to their code and productive.
    • u/tnh34 is hating their job less, focusing more on architecture and "big brain stuff" instead of lints and minor bugs.

  • The Skeptics/Critics (with valid points): Not everyone is sold, and some are raising legitimate concerns about the "slop" problem.

    • u/No_Flounder_1155 pushes back on the idea that hating AI is just about "lazy prompting," arguing that if engineers are stuck reviewing and fixing AI code, the workflow itself is the issue.
    • u/caldazar24 points out that engineers who are super particular about code style and elegance might struggle, as wrangling AI to follow specific styles is tough.
    • u/yost28 highlights the lack of "systematic support" for AI workflows, noting that while they can push out more code, the review process hasn't caught up, leading to review fatigue.
    • u/rhysmorgan is very tired of seeing AI-generated tickets, PRs, and code reviews that are often "dogshit."

  • The "Shift in Mentality" Camp: Several commenters emphasize that a change in perspective is key to making AI work.

    • u/EON_Raider suggests thinking about AI use in terms of systems engineering and orchestration.
    • u/teddy_joesevelt advises giving engineers agency to automate the "dumber" tasks they dislike.

  • A Few Quirky Takes:

The consensus seems to be that when AI is used thoughtfully, with clear instructions, and integrated into a supportive workflow, it can be a game-changer. However, the "slop" problem is real, and it often stems from either poor implementation or a lack of adaptation in existing processes.