Veteran dev: one-pass targeted AI edits cover 90% of my needs at near-zero cost
cgouguen · reddit · 2026-09-11
An experienced developer argues that full agentic coding workflows (research→spec→plan→execute→test→review) are overkill for most tasks. His frugal one-pass workflow:
- Attach only the exact files needed for the feature (he knows his large codebase well);
- Send to web chatbots (mostly free) and discuss, or use tools like aider or frugaast that edit code directly;
- Review via diff — 99% of the time no manual fixes needed.
He notes that setting up agent harnesses (skills, various md files) is itself time-consuming, so his approach costs little extra effort while keeping full control of the code.
Related event: Veteran Developer Argues 90% of Coding Needs No Autonomous Agents(2 posts)→
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