AI coding assistants are incredible at planning and building, but without proper QA checkpoints, you'll end up with something that's not useful and not what you actually wanted. Here's how to avoid the trap.
You're using an AI coding assistant like Cursor, Claude, or Kiro. It's great at planning tasks, creating specs, and writing code. You let it build, build, build without stopping to test. Hours later, you have a complete application that doesn't work the way you wanted.
The problem: AI assistants are excellent at generating code, but they can't validate whether that code actually solves your real-world problem.
AI coding assistants excel at:
But they struggle with:
AI assistants are like junior developers with incredible speed but limited context.They can build exactly what you ask for, but they can't tell you if what you asked for is actually what you need.
This is why continuous QA is not just important—it's absolutely critical for AI-assisted development.
Don't wait until the end to test. Set up micro-checkpoints throughout your development session:
Before moving to the next major feature, do a comprehensive QA of what you've built so far:
At the end of each development session or major milestone, do a full QA review:
Start with tests, then let the AI build to meet those tests:
// 1. Write the test first
describe('User Authentication', () => {
it('should allow valid users to login', () => {
const result = authenticateUser('user@example.com', 'password123');
expect(result.success).toBe(true);
});
it('should reject invalid credentials', () => {
const result = authenticateUser('user@example.com', 'wrongpassword');
expect(result.success).toBe(false);
});
});
// 2. Then ask AI to implement the function
// "Implement authenticateUser function to pass these tests"Before building, write user stories and validate them during development:
As a [user type], I want [goal] so that [benefit]
Example: "As a user, I want to reset my password so that I can regain access to my account when I forget my password."
Validation: Can you actually reset your password? Does the flow make sense? Is it secure? Does it work on mobile?
Every 5 minutes of AI-generated code should be followed by 1 minute of testing:
This prevents the "hours of building the wrong thing" problem.
Instead of thinking: "Let me build this entire feature and then test it"
Think: "Let me build a small piece, test it, then build the next piece"
This iterative approach with continuous validation ensures you're always building what you actually need, not what you think you need.
AI coding assistants are powerful tools, but they're not mind readers. They can build exactly what you ask for, but they can't tell you if what you asked for is actually what you need.
Continuous QA checkpoints are your safety net. They catch issues early, validate your direction, and ensure you're building something useful and valuable.
Remember: It's better to build the right thing slowly than to build the wrong thing quickly.QA checkpoints might feel like they slow you down, but they actually save you time by preventing the costly mistake of building something that doesn't work.