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Anti-patterns: things to avoid

sourceSimon Willison
calendar_todayMarch 4, 2026
schedule2 min read
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Avoiding Anti-Patterns in Agentic Engineering: Best Practices for Code Review

Summary

This article discusses common anti-patterns in agentic engineering, particularly focusing on the importance of self-reviewing code before submitting it for collaboration. It emphasizes the responsibilities of developers in ensuring code quality and providing adequate context for reviewers.

Key Points

  • Inflicting unreviewed code on collaborators is a common anti-pattern in agentic engineering.
  • Developers should not submit pull requests (PRs) with code they haven't reviewed themselves.
  • A good PR should be functional, small enough for efficient review, and include additional context.
  • Splitting code into several small PRs is preferable to submitting one large PR.
  • Providing evidence of manual testing and implementation choices can enhance the review process.
  • It is essential to validate pull request descriptions written by agents before submission.

Analysis

The significance of this article lies in its focus on the responsibilities of developers in the context of agentic engineering. As AI tools become more integrated into coding practices, maintaining code quality and effective collaboration becomes increasingly crucial. This guidance helps mitigate risks associated with unreviewed code and fosters a more productive development environment.

Conclusion

IT professionals should prioritize self-reviewing their code before submitting it for collaboration. Implementing these best practices can enhance code quality and improve team efficiency in software development.