If you haven't checked it out yet, Leaderboard Fantasy is live and running strong! We've got active contests, engaged users, and live scoring that updates in real-time during tournaments. What started as a simple spreadsheet solution has become a platform that's bringing golf fans together every tournament weekend.
But here's what's really exciting me these days: the tools that made building Leaderboard Fantasy not just possible, but incredibly efficient. I'm talking about AI-powered development tools that have fundamentally changed how I approach software engineering.
My current development setup revolves around three core AI tools that have become indispensable:
Visual Studio Code has recently become my editor of choice, but integrating it with AI coding agents has transformed it into something completely different. I'm mostly using Anthropic's Claude Code, GitHub's Copilot, and OpenAI's Codex to handle everything from code generation to complex refactoring.
When I'm building a new feature for Leaderboard Fantasy, I can describe what I need in natural language, and these tools generate not just snippets, but entire functions and classes that understand the context of my existing codebase. Need a new API endpoint for tournament scoring? I describe the requirements, and within seconds I have a well-structured Spring Boot controller with proper error handling and documentation.
Warp has completely redefined what I expect from a development environment. While it started as an intelligent terminal, it's become my go-to tool for tasks far beyond running commands.
When I need to write complex MongoDB queries for analyzing user engagement on Leaderboard Fantasy, I simply describe what data I'm looking for, and Warp generates the aggregation pipeline. Need to draft technical documentation? Warp helps me structure and write clear, comprehensive docs. Administrative tasks that used to break my flow - like crafting deployment scripts or writing release notes - now happen seamlessly within my development environment.
The speed improvement is honestly staggering. Tasks that used to take hours now happen in minutes. Here's what my typical workflow looks like now:
The compound effect is remarkable. I'm spending more time on creative problem-solving and less time on repetitive coding tasks.
When I built Leaderboard Fantasy, this AI-assisted approach allowed me to focus on what mattered most: creating a great user experience and creating a fun platform for fantasy golf players. Instead of getting bogged down in implementation details, I could iterate quickly on features, test ideas faster, and respond to user feedback in near real-time.
The platform handles live scoring for dozens of contests simultaneously, manages complex group dynamics, and provides real-time updates to thousands of users. Building this level of functionality solo in just a few months would have been nearly impossible without these AI tools augmenting my capabilities.
Of course, it's not all perfect. AI development tools have taught me patience in new ways:
Frontend Development: Sometimes takes more iterations than I'd like. Getting the exact styling or user interaction behavior requires more back-and-forth with AI tools. What looks perfect in the generated code doesn't always match my vision once it's rendered.
Intent Misalignment: AI occasionally interprets my requests differently than expected. I'll ask for one thing and get something functionally similar but architecturally different. Learning to communicate precisely with AI tools is itself a skill that takes practice.
These challenges are minor compared to the benefits, and I've found that being specific about requirements and providing good context helps minimize these issues.
What excites me most is that this isn't the future of software engineering - it's the present. Right now, a single developer with the right AI tools can build and deploy sophisticated platforms that would have required entire teams just a few years ago.
The transformation goes beyond just writing code faster. AI tools are changing how I think about problems, helping me consider edge cases I might have missed, and suggesting architectural patterns I wouldn't have thought of. They're like having experienced pair programming partners available 24/7.
As these tools continue to evolve, I'm convinced we're witnessing the beginning of a fundamental shift in how software gets built. The developers who embrace AI augmentation aren't just working faster - they're working smarter, tackling bigger problems, and shipping more ambitious projects.
For anyone still on the fence about incorporating AI tools into their development workflow, my advice is simple: start experimenting. The learning curve is surprisingly gentle, and the productivity gains compound quickly.
Leaderboard Fantasy exists because AI tools made it possible for me to build something ambitious in my spare time. As these tools get better, I can only imagine what we'll all be capable of building next.
The future of development is collaborative - not just between humans, but between humans and AI. And from where I'm sitting, that future looks incredibly bright.
What AI tools are you using in your development workflow? I'd love to hear about your experiences!
Jeremy
Published on September 13, 2025 in tech