With the introduction of AI-powered code completion tools like Github Copilot, there is a lot of focus on developer productivity and how these kind of tools could/should/will improve it.
Of course we are doing our own experiments, and although hard to proof it scientifically, our developers claim to feel more productive.
However when I ask more details, they mostly talk about it helps them write code faster. Although their statement is certainly correct, I think we still have to tap in on the real productivity win that these kind of tools can offer.
What do I mean? Let me explain!
A few years ago Microsoft conveyed a study where they investigated what developers do most of their time.
If you look at the results, developers spend most of their time on reading and understanding code, not on writing new code.
Remark: this is in line with my own experience.
So if these tools really want to improve developer productivity, these scenario’s are the one to focus on. Github Copilot is already investigating this area through Copilot Labs. You have for example the option to ask to explain your code:
Interesting times for a developer…