More than just code review
- ID
- 16872
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 22 Aug 2026, 11:56 PM
- Fetched
- 23 Aug 2026, 12:55 AM
- Provider
- Simon Willison
- Category
- developer-ai
- Original URL
- https://simonwillison.net/2026/Aug/22/more-than-just-code-review/
- Source URL
- https://simonwillison.net/atom/everything/
Summary
- Score
- 5.5
- Created
- 23 Aug 2026, 12:55 AM
- Tags
- Audience
- developersvibe_codersai_agent_users
What happened
Simon Willison argues that the core skill for working with coding agents is confidently instructing them on changes and confidently verifying those changes were applied correctly—not necessarily reviewing every line they wrote. He notes that line-by-line eyeballing has never been the most effective validation method anyway, implying other verification approaches matter more in an agent-assisted workflow.
Why it matters
If you're using coding agents, this reframes where you should invest effort: spend more time on precise instructions and robust verification mechanisms (tests, diffs, behavior checks) rather than treating manual line-by-line review as the safety net. The article doesn't detail specific verification techniques, so the practical takeaway is conceptual—worth discussing but not a checklist you can apply today.
Discussion angle
What verification methods actually replace line-by-line review when working with coding agents—tests, behavior-driven checks, diff review, or something else—and where does this break down in practice?