AI Assisted Programming Fundamentals

Overview

AI assisted programming means combining developer judgment with model generated drafts for code, tests, and documentation. The model improves speed, while engineering controls preserve correctness and maintainability.

Where AI Fits in the SDLC

flowchart LR
    A[Plan Work] --> B[Write Spec]
    B --> C[Generate First Draft]
    C --> D[Run Tests and Linters]
    D --> E[Human Review]
    E --> F[Merge and Deploy]

AI is most useful in draft generation and repetitive transformations. Architecture decisions, risk trade-offs, and production approvals should stay human owned.

Practical Example - Refactor an Endpoint Safely

Start with explicit constraints:

Use AI to propose a draft refactor, then validate with tests.

// Existing contract that must remain stable.
public sealed record CreateOrderRequest(string CustomerId, decimal Amount);
public sealed record CreateOrderResponse(string OrderId, string Status);

public interface IOrderService
{
    Task<CreateOrderResponse> CreateAsync(CreateOrderRequest request, CancellationToken ct);
}

Production Example - Team Workflow

A platform team can define a pull request checklist for AI generated changes:

This keeps velocity gains while maintaining an audit trail.

Common Pitfalls

Key Takeaways