My Augmented Coding Tools As Of 16 May 2025

Which AI coding tools actually understand large codebases in 2025

Kent Beck evaluates six AI-augmented coding tools through the lens of the 3X framework—exploring what works, what fails, and why you shouldn't commit to any single vendor yet. The genie metaphor matters less than understanding each tool's real bottlenecks: context awareness, test handling, refactoring integration, and the frequency of unwanted code generation.

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Questions this essay answers

  • What's the difference between Cursor, Augment Code, and Claude Code for working in large projects?
  • Why do AI coding assistants keep deleting tests or generating code you didn't ask for?
  • Should I pick one AI coding tool or rotate between them?
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