AI Coding is Like Inheriting a 10-Year-Old Codebase: Use the Strangler Pattern
JnBrymn · x · 2026-07-28
The author discussed the current state of AI coding with Doug Turnbull: using AI agents feels exactly like joining a 10-year-old legacy codebase that nobody fully understands.
The fix isn't to have the AI read everything. Instead, it's about applying the classic Strangler Pattern:
- Wrap the old code at stable public interfaces
- Test the crap out of those boundaries
- Once trust is established via tests, let AI agents go to town and generate more tests
This provides a clear workflow arc: hit fragility → establish boundary tests → gain trust → let agents stamp out more tests.
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