Core Concepts & Paradigm Evolution
Before picking up tools, understand what game you're playing.
This category covers the foundational concepts you need to navigate the AI-assisted development landscape. From understanding what AI agents actually are, to distinguishing between casual "vibe coding" and disciplined "agentic engineering."
Articles in This Category
| Article | Author | Key Question |
|---|---|---|
| What Are AI Agents? Why Do They Matter? | Addy Osmani | What exactly are agents, and how do they differ from chatbots? |
| What You Need to Know About Vibe Coding | Vercel Team | What's the current state of vibe coding? |
| Agentic Engineering | Addy Osmani | What separates disciplined AI-assisted development from freestyle coding? |
| The Factory Model | Addy Osmani | How do coding agents fundamentally change software engineering? |
| How to Become a World-Class Agent Engineer | systematicls | What skills and mindset define the best agent engineers? |
| Specs Are the New Source Code | Ravi Mehta & Danny Martinez | Why are specifications becoming more important than code? |
| Coding Agents 101 | Cognition Team | How do you effectively work with coding agents day-to-day? |
| How We Vibe Code at FAANG | Anonymous FAANG Engineer | How do large tech companies actually use AI-assisted development? |
| Vibe Coding: Revolution or Reckless Abandon? | Addy Osmani | Is vibe coding genuinely transformative, or dangerously reckless? |
| Vibe Coding Is Not an Excuse for Low Quality | Addy Osmani | Where do you draw the line between speed and quality? |
Reading Recommendations
- New to AI-assisted development? Start with "What Are AI Agents?" then read "Agentic Engineering"
- Already using AI tools? Jump to "The Factory Model" and "World-Class Agent Engineer"
- Evaluating risks? Read "Revolution or Reckless Abandon?" and "Not an Excuse for Low Quality"