The first 4 weeks at a new job with AI
They hired me to add features. The codebase had less than 1% test coverage. Azure was retiring .NET 8, but upgrading seemed too hard, so they'd waited years. The kind of problems you know you should fix but never do.
Four weeks later: 560 commits, 65% test coverage, 13 database improvements, and yes, we shipped features too. Two programmers, four hours a day, one $17/month Claude subscription.
Here's what nobody tells you about AI: Day one, it took us eight hours to fix one nullable reference. Week four, I did fifty in under an hour with five minutes of my time. We didn't get faster because AI got smarter. We got faster because we built the infrastructure—scripts, CLIs, knowledge docs—that let AI scale what we'd already figured out.
This is a field report on what's actually possible when you stop thinking "AI makes me faster" and start thinking "AI lets me solve problems that used to be too expensive to touch."
- Scripts
- CLIs for AI
- CI automatic improvements
- Refactoring
- Nullables
- Unit testing
- Full stack testing
- Database migration patterns
- Database cleanup
- Database optimization
- Knowledge documents
- Code coverage
- Bug mitigation
- Feature development
Come see how we got a codebase under control.
Software Crafters Montréal
Discuss: slack.softwarecrafters.org (channel #loc_montréal)
Past meetups notes: github.com/Software-Crafters-Montreal/meetups
Contact: crafters-mtl@googlegroups.com
---
This group is for any developer, whoever you are, and whatever language or technology you're familiar with.
Join us if you are interested in testing, DDD, software architecture, clean code, refactoring, challenges of working with legacy code, pairing/mobbing, etc.
As Software Crafters, we improve professional software development skills through practice and helping others learn the know-how.
We do appreciate the following:
Not only working software, but also well-crafted software. Not only responding to change, but also steadily adding value. Not only individuals and interactions, but also a community of professionals. Not only customer collaboration, but also productive partnerships.Looking for the left parts, we found that we needed the right parts.
The Manifesto for Software Craftsmanship: http://manifesto.softwarecraftsmanship.org/
Code of Conduct
Our meetup is a harassment-free place for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate at any time, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter, and other online media. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the meetup at the discretion of the organizers.
Detailed version: https://github.com/socrates-ca/socrates-ca.github.io/wiki/Code-of-Conduct
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Torc is a community-first platform bringing together remote-first software engineer and developer opportunities from across the globe. Join a network that’s all about connection, collaboration, and finding your next big move — together.
Join our community today!
The first 4 weeks at a new job with AI
They hired me to add features. The codebase had less than 1% test coverage. Azure was retiring .NET 8, but upgrading seemed too hard, so they'd waited years. The kind of problems you know you should fix but never do.
Four weeks later: 560 commits, 65% test coverage, 13 database improvements, and yes, we shipped features too. Two programmers, four hours a day, one $17/month Claude subscription.
Here's what nobody tells you about AI: Day one, it took us eight hours to fix one nullable reference. Week four, I did fifty in under an hour with five minutes of my time. We didn't get faster because AI got smarter. We got faster because we built the infrastructure—scripts, CLIs, knowledge docs—that let AI scale what we'd already figured out.
This is a field report on what's actually possible when you stop thinking "AI makes me faster" and start thinking "AI lets me solve problems that used to be too expensive to touch."
- Scripts
- CLIs for AI
- CI automatic improvements
- Refactoring
- Nullables
- Unit testing
- Full stack testing
- Database migration patterns
- Database cleanup
- Database optimization
- Knowledge documents
- Code coverage
- Bug mitigation
- Feature development
Come see how we got a codebase under control.
Software Crafters Montréal
Discuss: slack.softwarecrafters.org (channel #loc_montréal)
Past meetups notes: github.com/Software-Crafters-Montreal/meetups
Contact: crafters-mtl@googlegroups.com
---
This group is for any developer, whoever you are, and whatever language or technology you're familiar with.
Join us if you are interested in testing, DDD, software architecture, clean code, refactoring, challenges of working with legacy code, pairing/mobbing, etc.
As Software Crafters, we improve professional software development skills through practice and helping others learn the know-how.
We do appreciate the following:
Not only working software, but also well-crafted software. Not only responding to change, but also steadily adding value. Not only individuals and interactions, but also a community of professionals. Not only customer collaboration, but also productive partnerships.Looking for the left parts, we found that we needed the right parts.
The Manifesto for Software Craftsmanship: http://manifesto.softwarecraftsmanship.org/
Code of Conduct
Our meetup is a harassment-free place for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate at any time, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter, and other online media. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the meetup at the discretion of the organizers.
Detailed version: https://github.com/socrates-ca/socrates-ca.github.io/wiki/Code-of-Conduct
Platform Sponsors
Supercharge your dev team with AI code reviews
Get your free trial now
Torc is a community-first platform bringing together remote-first software engineer and developer opportunities from across the globe. Join a network that’s all about connection, collaboration, and finding your next big move — together.
Join our community today!
Get in touch!
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