The original title is "Why generating code isn’t the same as code intelligence"

Short summary

AI code generation (vibe coding) excels at greenfield projects but struggles in legacy systems lacking broader code context. Code intelligence tools using semantic search and static analysis solve the complementary problem: helping developers understand existing code, which drives 50–80% of software lifecycle costs. Effective teams combine both for new features and navigating complexity.

• •Vibe coding generates code fast but lacks context for legacy systems
• •Code intelligence (semantic search, call graphs) finds and explains existing code
• •Maintenance of legacy systems costs 50–80% of total dev lifecycle; generation handles only 20–50%

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.