Coding to think

There's a strange loop that is occurring in my life as I am thinking about coding more. I think about an idea and write a prototype which in turns makes me think deeper about the idea. Each prototype size varies and no idea feels too grand to entertain or too small enough to at least attempt.

Software is becoming commoditized and there is a feeling that anything is possible, some refer to this as "vibe coding" or "software on demand". At the heart of it is the idea that language should create and alter how our interfaces operate. This is changing not just what we can build but also how we build it.

9 months ago I barely used Claude or AI but with the introduction of AI assisted coding tools, it has become integral to my workflow. My backlog of ideas and prototypes is clearing. I feel like I am 21 again and spend nights testing out a new design or idea. It is fun to write software again and it feels like sketching. And as an artist, an important part of sketching is making it easier to sketch.

Keeping different sketchbooks in different bags, a notepad on your nightstand or a set of water colors in the trunk so you can hop out and paint a scene as you pass. These all increase the likelihood that your tools are always at hand. With code it is no different, a boilerplate can be both a box of your favorite colors, as well as a blank canvas pre-stretched and sitting in the easel.

To that end, I want to share my open-source prototype boilerplate. It's barebone and boring (React and Scss) but allows you to move quickly. A blank page for new ideas. Give it a shot!

-mello

P.S.