Hi, my name is Tom Smykowski, I'm a staff full-stack engineer. I build and scale SaaS platforms to millions of users, working end-to-end from system architecture to frontend to mobile. On this blog I share what I learn about software engineering, productivity metrics, and the evolving role of AI in development.
What This Article Covers
Explore the surprising resurgence of measuring software productivity by lines of code (LOC) and why this outdated metric is making a comeback in today's AI-driven development landscape. Delve into historical cases that reveal the pitfalls of this approach and consider whether modern AI tools change the equation.
Questions This Article Answers
- Why has the software engineering industry moved away from using lines of code as a productivity metric?
- What historical lessons from companies like IBM and the US Department of Defense highlight the risks of focusing on LOC?
- How are AI tools influencing current perceptions of coding productivity?
- Could measuring productivity by lines of code be viable with today's technology?
- What alternative metrics exist that provide a more accurate gauge of software development success?
Length and Time
An insightful exploration with historical context and modern analysis. Approximately 10 minutes to read.