Why Fundamentals Matter

AI coding tools are incredible. They'll write entire functions in seconds, explain complex errors, and generate boilerplate code that would take you an hour to type. You'll wonder how anyone coded without them.

And then they'll drive you absolutely crazy.

The Frustration Is Real

Here's what actually happens when you work with AI coding assistants:

They hallucinate. The AI will confidently reference a function that doesn't exist, or use a library feature that was never real. It sounds right. It looks right. It doesn't work.

They go in circles. You'll ask the AI to fix a bug. It'll fix it — and break something else. You'll ask it to fix that. It'll reintroduce the original bug. Three rounds later, you're right back where you started.

They misunderstand you. You'll ask for a simple feature and get something completely different. Or you'll get exactly what you asked for, only to realize you asked for the wrong thing.

They get stuck. Complex problems can send AI into loops where it keeps trying variations of the same broken approach, unable to step back and reconsider.

Every developer who uses these tools has stories. Long debugging sessions. Lost hours. Moments of genuine frustration.

The Safety Net

Here's the thing: all of those problems are manageable if you understand what's happening.

When you know how code actually works, you can spot hallucinations. When you understand system architecture, you can see that the AI's approach is fundamentally wrong. When you have solid mental models, you can guide the AI back on track instead of blindly following it in circles.

Without fundamentals, you're at the AI's mercy. You can't tell when it's wrong. You don't know what questions to ask. You're just hoping the next prompt works.

With fundamentals, you're the one in control. The AI is a powerful tool, but you decide when its output is correct, when it needs a different approach, and when to step in and fix things yourself.

The Human in the Loop

This is the core reason Codistry exists. Not to make you memorize syntax — AI handles that. But to make you the human in the loop who actually understands what's being built.

The goal is for you to be able to look at AI-generated code and know: Does this make sense? Is this the right approach? Will this scale? Is this secure?

That's what the fundamentals give you. And that's why we start there.