Daily Coding with ChatGPT: My Experience

I've tried other systems (such as Copilot), but for me personally, nothing comes close to ChatGPT. Here are a few ways I use it.

Learning New Skills

I often use ChatGPT to learn new things, and I find that having a conversation about unfamiliar technology, combined with practical examples, helps me learn quicker and more thoroughly than reading blog posts. Even in my language of choice for many years, C#, my knowledge has greatly improved since I started using ChatGPT. I used to be stuck in my ways, relying on the same features of the language that I learned when I first started near the turn of the century. However, with ChatGPT suggesting code, I often encountered concepts I wasn't familiar with. This sparked an eagerness to learn much more than I did before.

Optimising Existing Code

The code in some of my projects is older than my morning coffee routine, and putting it in chunks through ChatGPT and asking for optimisations was a real eye-opener! It's helped me make a lot of code much more stable, faster, and easier to understand.

When I do this, I've learned to keep it simple and do it in small steps. It's not a great idea to make radical changes all at once, as it can introduce too many bugs. Small steps, and make sure you fully understand each and every change made.

Building New Features

Personally, I have found that when used correctly, ChatGPT can greatly speed up the development of new features. I recently developed a new website for creating printable calendars. I actually started coding it many years ago, and honestly, there was so much I wanted to add to it that I eventually gave up on ever getting it launched. But that all changed once ChatGPT 4 came out and was reasonably stable. I was able to zoom ahead and finish the website within months! Although the website might seem simple (hopefully), behind the scenes there's all manner of algorithms and data processing. By working on each one at a time, I was able to create what I wanted. I think it saved me a lot of time.

Best Practices

To get the best results with ChatGPT, I recommend:

• Always verify and thoroughly test the code it generates. You can't just copy-paste and hope for the best.
• Use ChatGPT as an addition to your knowledge, not a replacement. It's a tool to help you, not do your job for you.
• Keep learning from the explanations it provides. This way, you're not just getting code, but also understanding why it works.
• Leverage custom GPTs to save time and avoid repeating the same instructions. Custom GPTs can be tailored to fit your specific needs.

Challenges and Considerations

While ChatGPT is incredibly useful, it does have some limitations:

• Sometimes, it suggests incorrect or suboptimal code. You need to review and refine its suggestions.
• It's crucial to understand and verify the AI-generated code to ensure it fits your specific requirements. Don't just take it at face value.
• There are ethical considerations and data privacy concerns when using AI tools. Be mindful of what information you share with ChatGPT.