What software fundamentals still buy you when the agent writes the code
Source
x.com
Author
Andrew Ng
Date
Context
Software fundamentals help a developer recognize decisions that a coding AI agentAn AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.Full definition → cannot make well without application context windowThe maximum amount of text a model can consider at once — its working memory for the current conversation or task.Full definition →. In his article on engineering fundamentals, Andrew Ng uses data design to make the point: expected access patterns influence what to store, which storage system to choose, and how speed, consistency, reliability, and cost trade off. Data is a foundation that is relatively hard to change, even when agents help with migrations. This develops the engineering-judgment branch of his broader skills map: directing generated code requires understanding the system it will become.
Terms in this piece · Glossary
AI agent — An AI system that doesn't just answer once but works toward a goal in a loop — taking actions, reading the results, and deciding what to do next.
context window — The maximum amount of text a model can consider at once — its working memory for the current conversation or task.
