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Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the programming landscape has entered a new era. By leveraging advanced natural language processing capabilities, both beginner and experienced developers now have powerful tools to ease the coding process.
ai-powered chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini transform the way developers solve complex problems and learn new technologies. That’s why when OpenAI first released GPT-4, many users tested its ability to create working programs from scratch.
The result?
It performed exceptionally well. For example, Ammaar Reshi created a Gluttony game entirely using GPT-4 and his demo video got over 3 million impressions. x.com/ammaar/status/1635754631228952576″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Watch the video here.
Since then, ai programming tools have evolved significantly, moving from simple code completion to generating code based on natural language instructions, as seen with GitHub Copilot. These advancements simplify coding not only for developers, but also for those with no prior coding experience.
If there is one certainty in the future world, it is that ai tools will profoundly transform the way people learn to program and code in their daily lives. This article aims to predict what are the main changes that this field will experience in the coming years.
1. Reduce the knowledge gap
One of the most significant impacts of ChatGPT is its ability to democratize programming knowledge. Whether you are an experienced developer or a beginner, ChatGPT serves as an accessible source of information.
For example, ai-search” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>According to last year's StackOverflow surveyAll respondents use at least one ai tool for knowledge search, with a clear preference for ChatGPT. More than 83% of respondents use ChatGPT on a daily basis (83% for professional developers and 85% for students).
Screenshot from Stack Overflow 2023 survey. What ai search tools are respondents using?
ChatGPT can provide clear explanations, code snippets, and step-by-step guides. This means that if a person needs to understand a new machine learning model or wants to delve into a new programming language without any prior knowledge, ai tools like ChatGPT can act as personalized tutors.
For example, a beginner trying to understand the concept of object-oriented programming can easily ask ChatGPT for clear explanations. And this is the real turning point in the learning curve. Whereas previously students had to read dense textbooks or watch endless online tutorials, now users get instant, personalized responses to their prompts in natural language.
This instant access to knowledge lowers the barrier to entry for beginners and increases the speed of learning for more experienced programmers.
2. Improve code quality and efficiency
Writing clean, efficient, and bug-free code remains a challenge for many developers today. That’s why ai-powered tools like ChatGPT can help by suggesting best practices, offering code reviews, and even generating code snippets that meet industry standards.
Imagine you're working on a Python script and need a quick function to parse JSON data. ChatGPT can generate the function for you, along with optimization and error handling tips.
Additionally, ChatGPT can also help you debug code.
Whereas before most of us spent hours trying to figure out why the code wasn't working, now we can share the code snippet with ChatGPT and get a direct review.
New tools such as coding assistants, including GitHub Copilot, are becoming increasingly popular to speed up the development process. ai-search-learn” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>According to a Stack Overflow survey Nearly 80% of developers use ai-based coding assistance tools in their daily work.
Screenshot of Stack Overflow 2023 survey. Using ai-powered coding assistance tools
ai tools improve the coding process, making them invaluable assets in modern software development.
3. Facilitate collaboration and communication
Programming often requires collaboration and clear communication between colleagues. One of the best practices is to document any process being developed, isn't it?
ChatGPT can help us by generating documentation, making useful code comments, and even translating technical terms into words that are easy to understand for non-technical colleagues.
Let’s imagine that you are working on a project with a remote team to build a working API endpoint. You can easily use ChatGPT to write comprehensive documentation on the progress of the API endpoint and make sure everyone is on the same page.
There are even ai tools that are currently integrated into calling software like Teams or Slack to write meeting notes and ensure that everyone has the same main points and objectives in mind. This further improves team productivity and ensures that knowledge is well documented and easily transferable.
4. Automation of repetitive tasks
Repetitive tasks can drain developer creativity and productivity. ChatGPT and ai-based tools can automate many of these boring tasks, allowing developers to focus on more complex and rewarding aspects of their projects. This includes generating standard code and setting up project templates.
Let's consider the task of setting up a new project. This typically involves creating directories, initializing version control, setting up a virtual environment, and installing dependencies.
A lot of work, right?
With ai-powered tools like ChatGPT, you can automate these steps by receiving a script that handles the setup process, saving valuable time and reducing the risk of human error.
5. Learning and adaptation
Current ai-powered tools, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, are already connected to the internet. This means that they are constantly updated with new programming languages, frameworks, and tools, allowing developers to rely on them for up-to-date data and insights.
Furthermore, fine-tuning of the model or even custom GPTs can tailor the model to further fit each user's preferences and coding styles, thus providing more personalized help.
For example, if you often work with a specific JavaScript framework like React, ChatGPT may modify its recommendations or examples to match current developments in React development.
This continuous learning and adaptation ensures that ChatGPT remains a valuable resource even as the world of programming evolves.
Conclusion
These ai-powered tools are not just chatbots, they are powerful aids capable of easing the development process. In terms of knowledge at your fingertips, there are code quality improvement measures, collaboration enhancement steps, and task automation processes. This makes coding accessible to everyone, no matter if one is an amateur coder or an experienced developer. Integrating ChatGPT into the workflow can boost productivity rates and increase innovation levels.
Embrace the future of programming through these new ai-powered tools. This will change the way you perceive coding, making it much simpler and more collaborative than ever before.
Josep Ferrer Josep is an analytical engineer from Barcelona. He graduated in physical engineering and currently works in the field of data science applied to human mobility. He is a part-time content creator focused on data science and technology. Josep writes about everything related to ai and covers the application of the current explosion in this field.
