Dev's 2026 setup revelation: OpenAI Codex zaps boilerplate blissfully, until you spot the AI's outdated diffs and Windsurf-level disasters

In 2026, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in programming has become increasingly important, with a focus on practical application rather than abstract concept. A backend software engineer recently utilized OpenAI Codex, a highly-regarded AI coding agent, to automate tasks in a personal project. Codex was chosen for its ease of installation, configuration, and use, with the engineer using it to generate environment setup scripts, automate repetitive tasks, and handle basic setup. The engineer's setup consists of IntelliJ and Codex for backend development, and codex-cli for frontend and native parts. A notable feature is MCP, which improves communication between CLI AI and IDE AI, streamlining transitions between tasks. While AI output should not be blindly trusted, it can significantly reduce development time and friction, allowing developers to focus on decision-making. As of 2026, effectively using AI has become essential for programmers, with companies like OpenAI leading the way in AI development.