Everyone is talking about AI in 2026 — here’s what actually matters as a programmer
Everyone keeps talking about AI in 2026 like it’s some abstract future thing.
But honestly, the most important skill right now is very simple:
👉 You need to know how to use AI well.
Not “know that it exists”.
Not “sometimes ask ChatGPT something”.
But actually integrate AI into your daily workflow in a way that saves time and mental energy.
How I ended up using AI for frontend (yes, even as a backend dev)
Over the last month, I’ve been working on a personal project.
I’m a backend software engineer, and to be very honest:
I don’t love frontend work. I can do it, but it’s not where I want to spend most of my energy.
So I started looking for a way to automate as much of it as possible.
That’s when I landed on OpenAI Codex.
Why Codex (and not just “another AI tool”)
Codex is one of the best AI coding agents I’ve used so far, mainly because:
- it’s easy to install
- easy to configure
- and, most importantly, easy to actually use
No huge setup, no weird abstractions. It feels like a tool, not an experiment.
How I’m using Codex in practice
Frontend + native setup → codex-cli
For frontend and native parts of the project, I’m using codex-cli.
The biggest value for me isn’t just “writing components”.
I mostly use it to:
- create build configs
- generate environment setup scripts
- scaffold project structure
- automate repetitive boilerplate
- handle basic but annoying setup tasks
Basically:
everything that steals time but doesn’t deserve brainpower.
Backend work → IntelliJ + Codex
For backend development, my setup is:
👉 IntelliJ + Codex
And for me, this works better than the Windsurf plugin.
Why?
Because Codex is natively supported inside IntelliJ, which makes a big difference in stability.
With Windsurf, I had a lot of friction:
- trouble reviewing changed files
- weird diffs
- moments where I just didn’t trust what was happening
With Codex, it’s the opposite:
- changes are clear
- reviews are clean
- everything feels predictable and simple
That alone improves the experience a lot.
MCP: the underrated superpower
One feature that deserves more attention is MCP.
When you install MCP via the CLI, you can also use it inside Codex in IntelliJ.
What does that give you?
- better communication between CLI AI and IDE AI
- shared context
- smoother transitions between tasks
Honestly, it improves the collaboration between the tools so much that it just makes the day… lighter 😄
A reality check (very important)
One thing I need to say:
⚠️ You cannot blindly trust everything AI gives you.
Sometimes the output is:
- wrong
- outdated
- overcomplicated
- or just straight-up trash
You still need judgment.
You still need to review.
You still need to think.
But let’s be fair…
Most of the time?
✨ The code is pure gold.
It massively reduces development time, removes friction, and lets you focus on decisions instead of typing.
AI won’t replace developers.
But developers who know how to use AI properly will absolutely move faster than the rest.
And in 2026… that’s not optional anymore.
Top comments (2)
this motivated me to start an IntelliJ with codex. Thank you
I'm happy to make it, for me is the best tool to use in intellij.