Honoring system boundaries and specifications in AI-assisted development
Core Idea: When making changes, it's crucial to maintain existing specifications, APIs, and interfaces, as LLMs tend to modify these boundaries in pursuit of simplicity or problem-solving.
Key Elements
- System specifications define critical boundaries that should generally be preserved
- Common boundaries include public APIs, external system interfaces, and test expectations
- LLMs readily sacrifice these boundaries to achieve immediate goals
- Human review is essential to prevent unintended specification changes
- Occasionally changing the spec is appropriate, but should be an explicit decision
Critical Boundaries to Preserve
- Public APIs with backward compatibility requirements
- External system interfaces requiring conformance
- Test assertions validating expected behavior
- Data schemas and formats
- Performance and resource utilization constraints
Implementation Strategies
- Explicitly identify specification boundaries in prompts
- Review LLM output specifically for boundary violations
- Document intended specification changes separate from implementations
- Create automated tests to verify specification compliance
- Provide context about which parts of the system are immutable
Connections
- Related Concepts: Black Box Testing (respecting component boundaries), Requirements Not Solutions (clear expectations)
- Broader Context: Software Architecture Principles (system design fundamentals)
- Applications: API Design (interface stability), Contract Testing (verifying boundaries)
References
- Edward Z. Yang (2025). "AI Blindspots" collection, March 2025.
#software-design #system-boundaries #api-management #best-practices
Connections:
Sources:
- From: AI Blindspots