Does the code "work well"? The difference between working code and high-quality code

“Works” Doesn’t Always Mean “Done Right”: What’s the Difference?

In the world of software development, misunderstandings often arise between developers and people who aren’t involved in programming. For “vibe coders”— as the author calls those who see only the superficial result — the main thing is that the program performs its function. But the reality is much more complex: “works” does not equal “optimally” or “well.”

Neural Networks and Code Quality

Modern neural networks are capable of generating functional code. However, as the author notes, such code is often:

• Shallow: it fails to account for many nuances and context.
• Flawed: it contains hidden flaws that may surface later.
• Suboptimal: it uses resources inefficiently, slows down performance, or makes scaling difficult.

The challenge lies in how to convey this idea to someone who lacks in-depth knowledge of programming. How can we explain that code—even if it performs its tasks—can be significantly worse than code written by an experienced developer?

An Analogy with Written Text: A Clear Example

To illustrate this idea, we can draw parallels with written text. Anyone can assess the quality of written content, even if they aren’t a philologist or an editor. Imagine two texts, both of which convey the same information:

• First text: written with errors, illogical phrases, and poor structure.
• Second text: well-written, structured, easy to read, and written in a pleasant style.

Formally speaking, both texts “work”—they successfully convey the information. But the quality of perception and understanding, as well as the further use of these texts (for example, for translation or adaptation), will be radically different. The same thing happens with code: “working” code can turn out to be a nightmare for maintenance and development.

Source: All Articles / Artificial Intelligence / Habr