In this article, Geoffrey turned a complex Prolog interpreter debugging task from “a depressing slog” into something that “felt like a puzzle ga

Custom AI Developer Tools: The Return of Malleable Software

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2025-01-27 00:30:04

In this article, Geoffrey turned a complex Prolog interpreter debugging task from “a depressing slog” into something that “felt like a puzzle game” by having Claude generate a custom visualization UI in minutes.

While these technical considerations are crucial, their significance becomes clearer when considering broader industry impact.

The ability to generate custom development tools on demand represents a significant shift in how we approach software development.

Rather than spending time searching for existing tools, engineers can quickly prototype solutions tailored to their specific needs.

“This is the dream of malleable software: editing software at the speed of thought. Starting with just the minimal thing we need for our particular use case, adding things immediately as we come across new requirements.”

Like the transition from generic IDEs to language-specific tooling, this enables a more personalized and effective development experience.