AI makes refactoring cheaper, but tests still need to come first
dotey · x · 2026-07-24
The post argues that AI has made refactoring cheaper, but it has not changed the engineering discipline: do not refactor blindly, and write tests first.
Key point:
- AI is especially good at iterative self-correction after failures, so strong test coverage matters even more when using AI for coding.
- In other words, the modern workflow is still test first, then refactor, whether the tests are written by humans or by AI.
Related event: The Pitfalls of AI in Code Refactoring and Testing(2 posts)→
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