this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2026
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I mean, yes, absolutely I can. So can my peers. I've been doing this for a long, long time, as have my peers.
The code we produce is many times more readable and maintainable than anything an LLM can produce today.
That doesn't mean LLMs are useless, and it also doesn't mean that we're irreplaceable. It just means this argument isn't very effective.
If you're comparing an LLM to a Junior developer? Then absolutely. Both produce about the same level of maintainable code.
But for Senior/Principal level engineers? I mean this without any humble bragging at all: but we run circles around LLMs from the optimization and maintainability standpoint, and it's not even close.
This may change in the future, but today it is true (and I use all the latest Claude Code models)
With LLMs I get work done about 3-5x faster. Same level of maintainability and readability I'd have gotten writing it myself. Where LLMs fail is architecting stuff out- they can't see the blind alleys their architecture decisions being them down. They also can't remember to activate python virtual environments, like, ever.
I think it depends on what you're writing code for. For greenfield/new features that don't touch legacy code or systems too much? Sure, I agree with that assessment.
Unfortunately that's a small fraction of the kind of work I am required to do as most of the work in most places doing software dev are trying to add shit to bloated and poorly maintained legacy systems.
Working in those environments LLMs are a lot less effective. Maybe that'll change some day. But today, they don't know how to code reuse, refactor methods across classes/design patterns, etc. At least, not very well. Not without causing side effects.
The biggest problem with using AI instead of junior developers is that junior developers eventually become senior developers. LLMs .... don't.
They might, but it does not seem likely to me and is definitely not guaranteed.
It's more likely than it happening with an LLM, though. Without junior developers the number of future senior devs approaches zero.
Sorry, my wording was very unclear. I was referring to the LLMs having a small but non-zero chance to actually get good enough to replace senior devs.
You are right though, chances for the average junior dev to reach senior status are much better than for LLMs to reach that stage any time soon (if ever).
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