Leveraging AI for Collaborative Coding in Large Codebases: Insights from ShipHero Engineering, June 2025

At ShipHero, the integration of AI into software development has led to considerable changes in coding practices. The company adopted SourceGraph Cody, an AI code-assisting tool, providing its 100+ developers with capabilities for auto-completion and agentic coding. Initially, GitHub’s Copilot was used, but it did not meet the evolving needs. Adoption efforts focused on balancing speed and quality, as faster code generation increases demand for thorough reviews. Successful strategies include leveraging agentic coding for specific tasks and automating coding guidelines to maintain standard practices. However, challenges persist with large codebases, as existing tools struggle with context, making refinement difficult. Additionally, the availability of AI can mask the struggles of developers needing support, complicating management. The future includes refining AI-assisted coding rules for preliminary reviews and rethinking codebase structures to enhance efficiency, exploring trade-offs between speed and quality in software development.

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