Using Claude Code

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Greetings,

I thought that sharing my experience with Claude Code might be useful, as
it has dramatically increased my ability to repair bugs and implement
features, and I believe it could do the same for NetBeans.

I single-handedly maintain two primary systems. The first is Stack360
<https://stack360.io>, a large web-based system. The backend consists of
roughly 9,000 Java and Groovy classes. The frontend is HTML and JavaScript
and includes about 300 screens. The frontend and backend communicate over
REST. The backend uses PostgreSQL with nearly 300 tables, and there are
seven distinct frontends communicating with a single backend.

The second system is my KISS web development framework, described at
KissWeb.org. It is open source, so anyone can examine it in as much detail
as they like.

I began using Claude Code to help support, debug, and enhance these systems
about six months ago. Early on, I invested significant time teaching Claude
Code about my systems, architecture, and coding standards.

Computers understand many languages, and to communicate with them you must
learn one or more of those languages=E2=80=94Java, HTML, JavaScript, C, C#,=
 Python,
and so on. There is a different =E2=80=9Clanguage=E2=80=9D used to work eff=
ectively with
AI, and that language is English.  Teaching Claude Code about my systems
and standards is done entirely in plain English using plain text files.

Before using Claude Code, I spent nearly all of my time supporting,
debugging, and enhancing these systems. I worked seven days a week, roughly
twelve hours a day. My only other concern was spending enough time with my
wife to keep my marriage on track.

Since training Claude Code on my systems, it now handles roughly 95% of my
workload. Tasks that once took hours now take minutes. Does it make
mistakes? Absolutely! But so has every employee I have ever worked with.
When an employee makes a mistake, you must be careful how you present the
issue=E2=80=94people get offended easily. Claude Code is always available a=
nd never
gets an attitude.

I pay $100 per month for Claude Code and have never hit a usage limit. I
have defined several agents, each with expertise in a specific area. Claude
Code uses these agents in parallel, with them communicating and
collaborating to solve problems.

Now to how this relates to NetBeans=E2=80=94I apologize in advance for bein=
g blunt.

NetBeans was once my favorite IDE by far. It had the most intuitive
interface I had ever used. Around the time NetBeans stopped functioning
properly during the Apache transition, I switched to IntelliJ out of
necessity. While IntelliJ is far better than IDEs like Eclipse, NetBeans
was still the best, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, NetBeans has remained unusable for serious work since the
rework that was done as part of that transition. I would like to help, but
I simply do not have the time. For me, that is not an option.

For my purposes, the current version of NetBeans is far too restrictive and
buggy for real-world use. That is a shame, because I genuinely like
NetBeans. For a long time I assumed things would improve. Many years have
passed, and in many areas the situation has worsened.

I understand that progress depends on contributions. At present, there are
not enough effective contributions to drive NetBeans forward in a
meaningful way. Left as things are, I doubt NetBeans will ever regain
anything close to its former level of use.

This is where Claude Code becomes relevant. Tools like Claude Code can
dramatically increase the amount of progress each contributor can deliver.
Making a serious effort to integrate AI-assisted development into the
NetBeans workflow could significantly accelerate development. I believe
that a substantially more capable and useful version of NetBeans could be
produced in a relatively short time.

Like it or not, AI systems such as Claude Code are already replacing large
portions of what we do. This is happening regardless of personal
preference. My advice is simple: take maximum advantage of it while you can=
.

Thanks,
Blake McBride

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><p>Greetings,</p>
<p>I thought that sharing my experience with Claude Code might be useful, a=
s it has dramatically increased my ability to repair bugs and implement fea=
tures, and I believe it could do the same for NetBeans.</p>
<p>I single-handedly maintain two primary systems. The first is <a href=3D"=
https://stack360.io">Stack360</a>, a large web-based system. The backend co=
nsists of roughly 9,000 Java and Groovy classes. The frontend is HTML and J=
avaScript and includes about 300 screens. The frontend and backend communic=
ate over REST. The backend uses PostgreSQL with nearly 300 tables, and ther=
e are seven distinct frontends communicating with a single backend.</p>
<p>The second system is my KISS web development framework, described at <a =
href=3D"https://KissWeb.org">KissWeb.org</a>. It is open source, so anyone =
can examine it in as much detail as they like.</p>
<p>I began using Claude Code to help support, debug, and enhance these syst=
ems about six months ago. Early on, I invested significant time teaching Cl=
aude Code about my systems, architecture, and coding standards.</p>
<p>Computers understand many languages, and to communicate with them you mu=
st learn one or more of those languages=E2=80=94Java, HTML, JavaScript, C, =
C#, Python, and so on. There is a different =E2=80=9Clanguage=E2=80=9D used=
 to work effectively with AI, and that language is English.=C2=A0 Teaching =
Claude Code about my systems and standards is done entirely in plain Englis=
h using plain text files.</p>
<p>Before using Claude Code, I spent nearly all of my time supporting, debu=
gging, and enhancing these systems. I worked seven days a week, roughly twe=
lve hours a day. My only other concern was spending enough time with my wif=
e to keep my marriage on track.</p>
<p>Since training Claude Code on my systems, it now handles roughly 95% of =
my workload. Tasks that once took hours now take minutes. Does it make mist=
akes? Absolutely! But so has every employee I have ever worked with. When a=
n employee makes a mistake, you must be careful how you present the issue=
=E2=80=94people get offended easily. Claude Code is always available and ne=
ver gets an attitude.</p>
<p>I pay $100 per month for Claude Code and have never hit a usage limit. I=
 have defined several agents, each with expertise in a specific area. Claud=
e Code uses these agents in parallel, with them communicating and collabora=
ting to solve problems.</p>
<p>Now to how this relates to NetBeans=E2=80=94I apologize in advance for b=
eing blunt.</p>
<p>NetBeans was once my favorite IDE by far. It had the most intuitive inte=
rface I had ever used. Around the time NetBeans stopped functioning properl=
y during the Apache transition, I switched to IntelliJ out of necessity. Wh=
ile IntelliJ is far better than IDEs like Eclipse, NetBeans was still the b=
est, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, NetBeans has remained unusable for serious work since the=
 rework that was done as part of that transition. I would like to help, but=
 I simply do not have the time. For me, that is not an option.</p>
<p>For my purposes, the current version of NetBeans is far too restrictive =
and buggy for real-world use. That is a shame, because I genuinely like Net=
Beans. For a long time I assumed things would improve. Many years have pass=
ed, and in many areas the situation has worsened.</p>
<p>I understand that progress depends on contributions. At present, there a=
re not enough effective contributions to drive NetBeans forward in a meanin=
gful way. Left as things are, I doubt NetBeans will ever regain anything cl=
ose to its former level of use.</p>
<p>This is where Claude Code becomes relevant. Tools like Claude Code can d=
ramatically increase the amount of progress each contributor can deliver. M=
aking a serious effort to integrate AI-assisted development into the NetBea=
ns workflow could significantly accelerate development. I believe that a su=
bstantially more capable and useful version of NetBeans could be produced i=
n a relatively short time.</p>
<p>Like it or not, AI systems such as Claude Code are already replacing lar=
ge portions of what we do. This is happening regardless of personal prefere=
nce. My advice is simple: take maximum advantage of it while you can.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br>
Blake McBride<br></p></div>

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