Preamble

"The programmer, like the poet, works only slightly removed from pure thought-stuff. He builds his castles in the air, from air, creating by exertion of the imagination. [...] Yet the program construct, unlike the poet's words, is real in the sense that it moves and works, producing visible outputs separate from the construct itself. [...] The magic of myth and legend has come true in our time. One types the correct incantation on a
keyboard, and a display screen comes to life, showing things that
never were nor could be." - The Mythical Man-Month (Frederick P. Brooks, 1978)

With the advent of generative AI and large language models in software development, we face the challenge of reconciling machine-generated artifacts with the craft we consider our work. We find ourselves navigating the tension between preserving craftsmanship integrity, adopting powerful new tools, and maintaining transparency with clients and stakeholders.

We consider it essential to preserve and nurture established principles while consciously and reflectively integrating the opportunities and challenges that generative AI brings.

For this reason, we wrote this Manifesto for AI-augmented Software Craftsmanship, which connects traditional values and practices of software development with the new realities and possibilities of AI-supported development.

It should serve as a guide to ensure that the quality, responsibility, and mastery we strive for as a software craftsperson remain preserved in a world where AI increasingly participates in the creation process.

Our aim is that this manifesto not only reflects our personal stance but also acts as a starting point for wider community discussion, so we can collectively shape a responsible and craft-oriented approach to AI in software development.