Boilerplate

Boilerplate code is the repetitive foundation that most projects require but that rarely contains unique logic. Before AI coding assistants, developers spent significant time writing the same patterns over and over — or copying from previous projects.

Common Types of Boilerplate

• Project setup — Package.json, tsconfig, eslint config
• Component structure — Imports, types, function signature, exports
• CRUD operations — Create, read, update, delete database logic
• API routes — Request handling, validation, response formatting
• Form handling — Validation, state management, submission logic

Why AI Excels at Boilerplate

Boilerplate follows predictable patterns, which is exactly what AI models learn from training data. When you describe what you need, AI can generate correct boilerplate because:

1. It's seen millions of similar examples
2. The patterns are well-established
3. Customization points are predictable

The Shift in Developer Focus

With AI handling boilerplate, developer time shifts toward:

• Architecture decisions — How should this system be structured?
• Business logic — What makes this app unique?
• Edge cases — What happens when things go wrong?
• User experience — How should this feel to use?

This is the core promise of vibe coding: spend time on interesting problems, not repetitive setup.