intermediate 45 min
How to write code you don't know how to write with AI
Ship a working script or feature even if you've never used the language before — safely.
Guide curated and reviewed byMark Barclay
Before you start
- A clear goal
- A safe copy of the data or environment
Tools you'll use
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Cursor
Steps
- 1
Describe the goal, not the code
"A Python script that reads this CSV, groups by column X, and writes a summary CSV." Not "a pandas groupby."
- 2
Ask for the smallest working version
Do not accept 100 lines. Ask for the shortest thing that works, then iterate.
- 3
Read every line before you run it
Ask the assistant to explain any line you do not understand. Never run code you cannot explain to yourself.
- 4
Test on a copy of your data
Never let AI-generated code touch production data on the first run. Copy the file first.
- 5
Ask for the failure modes
"What could go wrong with this script? Add error handling for the top three."
What you'll have at the end
A working, tested script that solves a real problem — with you understanding every line.