While reading Craig Mod’s post recalling the seventh year of his Special Projects membership (all of his yearly updates are worth reading and gleaning from) I noticed a link to Roden 102. I’m sure I read this issue (I read them all) but I maybe glazed over this bit about his use of Claude Code at the time.
For a long time now, my taste in software has outstripped my ability to execute (mostly as a function of hours-in-a-day), but now with tools like Claude Code, I’m finding execution and taste are aligning in astounding ways. It’s no exaggeration to say that using Claude Code to build The Good Place (and also a bunch of other small tools and projects) is one of the most astonishing computing experiences of my life. It’s difficult to articulate how utterly empowering a tool like Claude Code (paired with malleable software, open software, open systems (i.e., not iOS/iPadOS)) is for someone like me: someone with a strong technical background who can guide the LLM, knows which questions to ask, and knows how to keep it from going off on weird tangents. (It’s like working with an eight-year-old who has a thousand years of knowledge.)
I have so many thoughts about this. For years software ideas were bandied about as if that were the hard part. Self-described “non-technical founders” looking for technical ones to help them build their dream. Again, as if the idea were the hard part. Literally everyone has ideas!
It turns out the hard part is selling the idea. Building most software ideas was also a lot of work (hard, isn’t likely the right way to describe it). But for some people they just didn’t want to spend the time to learn how.
That has all changed now. As of this moment (and certainly as of the moment Craig wrote the above), a certain type of person has a huge advantage in being able to build their ideas when previously they didn’t have the skills or the time to do so. Knowing just enough about what is required to build software gives you a real leg up in using these tools. Additionally today, compared to when Craig wrote the above, even more so. I don’t even think you have to have the ability to “steer” the LLM anymore. They no longer go off on weird tangents as they used to.
The hard part will still be selling the idea (if that is your goal). But the exciting part is that you can build bespoke software just for yourself or your team. Like I am for myself. And at NerdPress we have several bespoke solutions that are purpose built for our needs that we never would have made if it weren’t for agentic coding.