This is extremely short-sighted. Software is not a static product. "Improve code quality" translates into being able to add features more quickly and with less risk of bugs. For an open-source project, this also gives readers the opportunity to understand the codebase and learn from it.
replyThis was true when adding features cost a lot of time and mental effort.
replyNowadays, it's just a prompt away. LLM's can still run around in circles when the code quality is bad enough, but LLM's are also getting exceedingly better at catching that and writing code that's good.
We're all in a different phase of the collective grieving process, some are still in denial, I would put you in the bargaining phase judging from the comment.
Simply adding features doesn't make the product or technology exceptional. I think the industry know in the phase like "ok, i can close my one thousand github tickets in a week". But that won't make their product or technology significantly better. Creating an extraordinary product is an extra ordinary task that only humans are capable of for now.
replyBetter code allows you to write new features with less risk to disrupting your current features.
replySoftware design and architecture is about creating a system that can be built well, run well, and modify well.
If you just throw things together without thought you get an unmaintainable mess.