Is AI making coding harder for you?

I totally get where you’re coming from. I've started avoiding AI unless I need help with something very specific that I can't find elsewhere. It’s just too easy to get sidetracked otherwise.

I think you're hitting on something important. AI can lead you down a rabbit hole if you don’t know the basics well enough. It can provide keywords and concepts, but if you rely on it too much, you risk losing your grip on what you’re actually doing.

What you're feeling is totally valid. Understanding a codebase isn’t just about writing code; it’s about tracking constraints and intents in your head. AI may speed things up, but it can also shift the thinking away from you, which isn't great when you’re still learning. I’ve noticed I need to be clear about what I want when using AI, or I end up lost later on.

One strategy I've picked up is to start coding the initial features myself and then let AI follow the structure I've set. This keeps the code aligned with my expectations. But I do wonder if that will be enough to maintain consistency.

Absolutely! If AI's coding for you without your guidance, you're not really learning. It’s best to do at least half the work independently. I suggest using it for small tasks and checking the output frequently. Large code pulls can really complicate understanding.