If you ask it to implement a specific kind of refactoring over a specific section of code it seems that current LLMs can do just fine. Even things as complex as "use `functools.partial` to implement the Command pattern here, rather than dataclasses".
> Is splitting files actually like decomposing factors or is it like splitting a larger number into smaller numbers that still eventually get added together
The file boundaries represent logical subsystem boundaries in the code, making it easier to reason about. The training data abundantly represents the idea of treating the contents of another file as opaque by default while other functionality in the same file can be used freely. I think it's reasonable to assume that there's something objective about the benefits that humans get from this, and it isn't just a consequence of how human cognition works.
It was helped by having refactoring experience and approaches to codebases by others, and in my case, being the original architect and being able to speak to the original and current intents, where needed.
This was using a less common, but capable and easy language for the LLM without a ton of dependancy brittleness to manage.. once the effort to remove javascript/python bias was in place, it became so powerful that once the lightbulb went on, it really got cruising.
The project was playing in the world of JSR-223 languages, where you could script in many popular languages, but it all got to run in the JVM, which was an environmental requirement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_for_the_Java_Platfor...
It's very important that you are using coding agents with the latest frontier models and know exactly what it can't and can't do if you want to be hired in this market.
I am currently working 3 remote jobs thanks to agentic coding and one of the jobs require me to interview and hire other devs. I find it amusing how many are irrationaly resistant and unwilling to use agentic coding. They are also the loudest in the room with opinions that are outdated. On the flip side, it's just as funny how to see how complicated engineers try to make agentic coding. It doesn't have to be and that's not its design. Don't get in its way as much as possible. The frontier models are good enough that adding complexity only wastes more tokens. We've come a long way from the summer you were fiddling with Sonnet 4.5 in Cursor or windsurf.
The job market isn't suddenly going to swoop in and save you by banning AI agents. Keep up or get left behind. Don't let other people's opinions about AI agents hinder your own progress, chances are they have no skin in the game.
"enhance"
EDIT: agree with your comment updates. I'd just say it more positively leaning especially to people who are stressed financially. SOTA has advanced a lot so counter-intuitively being behind isn't really behind, it can almost be a way to leap-frog, lean on the Agents. But definitely you have to commit to putting in the reps and learning and not just mindlessly instructing AI to "fix it". Think that's where the discussion splits.
The deferral of all agency as a product owner over to the stochastic-word-box-in-a-do-loop feels like the kind of thing that, if you mentioned you do that in an interview, would be grounds to not continue.
Re: your updated comment, I'm glad you've found success with this pattern of behavior, but I'd suggest that you might be extrapolating "I haven't been punished yet for this shortcut" to "This is the future of work and those who disagree are luddites".