Does anyone still use code snippets?

Question

Does anyone of you still use code snippets where you can type a shortcut and if you accept, it completes e.g. &bdquo;fun&ldquo; to a function stub or has that all been replaced with AI-based completion tools like Copilot?I noticed that I still like them and rely on them and was wondering if that&rsquo;s the same for someone else.

stevekemp · Accepted Answer

Emacs is my editor, and I have it configured to use snippets in two ways:
1. When loading an empty file it inserts boiler-plate based on mode (largely that is based on the filename suffix). So if I open a buffer "t.pl" it will insert "#!/usr/bin/perl", along with "use strict; use warnings;", etc.
2. Completion for LSP-modes via yasnippet. So in golang mode I type "iferr[TAB]" and it expands into "if err != .." and moves my cursor to the proper spot when I type TAB.

figassis · Answer

I have a snippet I religiously use to scaffold the go error log + return. I&rsquo;d say the amount of snippets I use are less, and maybe eventually I will use none. But with that one I want predictability. I don&rsquo;t want to have to review every error statement as I build.

ZYbCRq22HbJ2y7 · Answer

For scaffolding? I still use snippets (with tooling ofc).
Around 85% of the time, it seems like it takes me more time to write what I want to code in natural language to an AI prompt (and then correct it) than it would to actually code what I want.
The 15% of the time when I want something like "Write test cases to cover this module" is something a snippet couldn't do anyway.

Leftium · Answer

I use https://emmet.io snippets to save a lot of typing all the time:
- You can just type a CSS selector (actually a superset of CSS), then expand it into the analogous HTML.
- In VS code if you select some HTML then hit ALT-W, you can enter an Emmet snippet that surrounds that HTML.
Examples: https://docs.emmet.io/cheat-sheet/

beardyw · Answer

I tried using Copilot a bit, but I found it tried to do too much. As often as it got things right it got them irritatingly wrong. Something pared back giving context sensitive snippets would do fine.

pradyun_ · Answer

Oh absolutely. Though moreso when writing documents in Org mode. It comes with some macros - for example

Terr_ · Answer

Huh... well, now that you mention it I realize my most common "type bit and have it expand" snippets are ones I made for certain temporary stacktrace/debug statements. I guess as a project matures you spend more time debugging or modifying what's already there. Even when those modifications are something the IDE helps with, that process is often triggered differently, highlighting existing text and using a refactoring menu/shortcut.When I am working on new stuff... Well, my typing is mostly on autopilot, I use the time to think about what I'm going to put next, or else I've reached a spot where I would be making decisions anyway, e.g. naming a method.

johncoltrane · Answer

I still use snippets and, since I wholly reject generative AI from my life, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

theycameback · Answer

All the time. I write a lot of typescript and don't enjoy typing out brackets, so I have snippets like:
`af` expands to `() => `
`naf` expands to `export const foobar = () => {};`
The expanded snippets can be tabbed through as well
It feels like a big timesaver

j_leboulanger · Answer

I mostly use them to create new React components (index.tsx, x.component.tsx, x.module.scss, x.types.ts).I also use the nest cli to create new modules, services, ... which are king of snippets also.

al_borland · Answer

I&rsquo;ve set a couple up for more custom things that Copilot won&rsquo;t have, but tend to forget about them and end up just grabbing the code from another file or readme files I previously wrote.I think a lot of the standard snippets from years past were already taken over by things like IntelliSense, or various other IDE plugins.

masutaka · Answer

I am using Alfred's Snippets feature. I have registered several snippets of GH Markdown and HTML.
note - gh:
> [!NOTE] > Highlights information that users should take into account, even when skimming.
ruby - html:
WORD(CAPTION)

wruza · Answer

Lots of them, not only fu -> function, but whole blocks of code with parameters (snipmate style). A few of half-pages of code and then dozens of little expansions, for many filetypes.This is a result of a process I call experience distillation. I notice what code I write often but tend to either forget (bash) or outthink much faster than I can type (common syntax, libs, boilerplate), and routinely add it to snippets in hope that it sticks. Then I learn to actually use it. Once in a while I delete the unused or reshape it for second attempt with the understanding why it failed the first time.

asukachikaru · Answer

I use only one snippet both before and after integrating copilot (provided by my employer) into my workflow, which is for creating a empty arrow function (in JavaScript / TypeScript.)
Copilot have not been able to generate arrow functions when I intend to, in my experience. I found it pretty incompetent, and unable to provide relevant assistance if there is any bit of abstraction. YMMV.
I reckon my need for this specific snippet could be replaced with a more competent agent. I recently subscribed to cursor and so far it seems promising.

zxexz · Answer

Only for memoized boilerplate, and that&rsquo;s the way I&rsquo;ve used them since I realized I could do it. &ldquo;AI&rdquo; hasn&rsquo;t supplanted the practice for me at all for me, and I&rsquo;m still surprised that apparently it had for most people. I can insert a template faster than a round-trip to an LLM.That&rsquo;s not to say that &ldquo;AI&rdquo; assisted coding isn&rsquo;t useful -in fact it can be indispensable. For me, the value is mostly it being a seemingly perpetually slightly drunk, yet prescriptive, pair coding partner.

sedatk · Answer

LLM doesn&rsquo;t always produce the same output. It&rsquo;s also isn&rsquo;t mutually exclusive with code snippets: you can generate the template with LLM and reuse it with snippets.

ivolimmen · Answer

I use QOwnNotes and I sync my notes on my own NextCloud. I have been trying different editors and tools in the past. I even used Google Docs at one point but that sucked. It's not just code snippets it's also one-liners for the command line that I do not want to research again. I am not using this feature in my IDE as I switch IDE's per project. For some I use NetBeans, some Visual Studio Code.

Sakos · Answer

I actually never really understood how to use snippets (and honestly never really tried). Before AI I just used whatever code generator functions there were in Intellij and with AI it's trivial to get scaffolding and boiler plate that isn't covered by those code generators. I still use the code gen stuff for things like getters and setters or constructors though.

petepete · Answer

I do, via luasnip. I type some things a lot and it's just second nature for me now. The snippets I use most don't do a lot, but save me from hitting enter and typing 'end', or from closing a HTML tag.I have some configured to enter the names of colleagues I've paired with to commit messages in the format GitHub expects too.

qrobit · Answer

I use snippets almost exclusively in markdown/latex, where typing math is at least twice as fast with snippets.
When doing some quick experiment in C/C++, scaffolding `int main ...` and classes is nice too.
In nicer languages I use snippets only if I forget syntax, than snippet serve as a quick reminder(e.g. for loop in lua)

sweeter · Answer

I don't use an LLM in my editor whatsoever. I use snippets all the time for repetitive things and common expressions.If I ever do use llms it's for searching for something like "what kind of expression is this called: (i = 0; I < x; i++)" so that I can do better research myself.

wvenable · Answer

In Visual Studio for C#, ctor creates a constructor. I use that one all the time. Other than that, no.

x3n0ph3n3 · Answer

No snippets, no LLMs, no autocomplete.

shagmin · Answer

I use snippets off & on. They came in very handy at a previous company I worked with. Curious on the other answers because I've had some vague ideas for making snippets better but haven't looked deeper into what else is out there and a little wary of AI.

nesk_ · Answer

I find snippets really useful compared to AI because you have placeholders. You simply have to press Tab to switch from one placeholder to another and fill your snippet with your own values.Additionally, AI doesn't know how to produce the same output on each execution.

patagonianboy · Answer

Yes, I'd rather keep them than have to go ask an llm, it would be an extra step.

theshrike79 · Answer

Nothing bigger than a foreach/switch snippet that's built in to in Rider.The rest I can just do with whatever AI I'm currently using, they'll usually guess the variables right the first time too.

self_awareness · Answer

Of course I use snippets over AI.With AI, you never know what you'll get. OTOH snippets were created by hand by me. I know what to expect of them and what not to expect. They are always the same.

bandrami · Answer

I think of what I do as more "code generation" than "snippets" though I guess that's something of a fine line

hkchad · Answer

Yes, JetBrains + CoPilot is actually VERY good and is the only place I use LLM's in my daily life.

progx · Answer

Only few, most of the things are done now with AI.

Refusing23 · Answer

yes i dowe dont use AI at my work

wilg · Answer

I could never get the hang of snippets, too much to learn and too inflexible. Copilot for life.

Does anyone still use code snippets?

I have a snippet I religiously use to scaffold the go error log + return. I’d say the amount of snippets I use are less, and maybe eventually I will use none. But with that one I want predictability. I don’t want to have to review every error statement as I build.

I tried using Copilot a bit, but I found it tried to do too much. As often as it got things right it got them irritatingly wrong. Something pared back giving context sensitive snippets would do fine.

Oh absolutely. Though moreso when writing documents in Org mode. It comes with some macros - for example

I still use snippets and, since I wholly reject generative AI from my life, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

All the time. I write a lot of typescript and don't enjoy typing out brackets, so I have snippets like:
`af` expands to `() => `
`naf` expands to `export const foobar = () => {};`
The expanded snippets can be tabbed through as well
It feels like a big timesaver

I mostly use them to create new React components (index.tsx, x.component.tsx, x.module.scss, x.types.ts).
I also use the nest cli to create new modules, services, ... which are king of snippets also.

I am using Alfred's Snippets feature. I have registered several snippets of GH Markdown and HTML.
note - gh:
> [!NOTE] > Highlights information that users should take into account, even when skimming.
ruby - html:
WORD(CAPTION)

LLM doesn’t always produce the same output. It’s also isn’t mutually exclusive with code snippets: you can generate the template with LLM and reuse it with snippets.

I don't use an LLM in my editor whatsoever. I use snippets all the time for repetitive things and common expressions.
If I ever do use llms it's for searching for something like "what kind of expression is this called: (i = 0; I < x; i++)" so that I can do better research myself.

In Visual Studio for C#, ctor creates a constructor. I use that one all the time. Other than that, no.

No snippets, no LLMs, no autocomplete.

I use snippets off & on. They came in very handy at a previous company I worked with. Curious on the other answers because I've had some vague ideas for making snippets better but haven't looked deeper into what else is out there and a little wary of AI.

I find snippets really useful compared to AI because you have placeholders. You simply have to press Tab to switch from one placeholder to another and fill your snippet with your own values.
Additionally, AI doesn't know how to produce the same output on each execution.

Yes, I'd rather keep them than have to go ask an llm, it would be an extra step.

Nothing bigger than a foreach/switch snippet that's built in to in Rider.
The rest I can just do with whatever AI I'm currently using, they'll usually guess the variables right the first time too.

Of course I use snippets over AI.
With AI, you never know what you'll get. OTOH snippets were created by hand by me. I know what to expect of them and what not to expect. They are always the same.

I think of what I do as more "code generation" than "snippets" though I guess that's something of a fine line

Yes, JetBrains + CoPilot is actually VERY good and is the only place I use LLM's in my daily life.

Only few, most of the things are done now with AI.

yes i do
we dont use AI at my work

I could never get the hang of snippets, too much to learn and too inflexible. Copilot for life.

Does anyone still use code snippets?

I have a snippet I religiously use to scaffold the go error log + return. I’d say the amount of snippets I use are less, and maybe eventually I will use none. But with that one I want predictability. I don’t want to have to review every error statement as I build.

I tried using Copilot a bit, but I found it tried to do too much. As often as it got things right it got them irritatingly wrong. Something pared back giving context sensitive snippets would do fine.

Oh absolutely. Though moreso when writing documents in Org mode. It comes with some macros - for example

I still use snippets and, since I wholly reject generative AI from my life, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

All the time. I write a lot of typescript and don't enjoy typing out brackets, so I have snippets like:`af` expands to `() => ``naf` expands to `export const foobar = () => {};`The expanded snippets can be tabbed through as wellIt feels like a big timesaver

I mostly use them to create new React components (index.tsx, x.component.tsx, x.module.scss, x.types.ts).I also use the nest cli to create new modules, services, ... which are king of snippets also.

I am using Alfred's Snippets feature. I have registered several snippets of GH Markdown and HTML.note - gh:> [!NOTE] > Highlights information that users should take into account, even when skimming.ruby - html:WORD(CAPTION)

LLM doesn’t always produce the same output. It’s also isn’t mutually exclusive with code snippets: you can generate the template with LLM and reuse it with snippets.

I don't use an LLM in my editor whatsoever. I use snippets all the time for repetitive things and common expressions.If I ever do use llms it's for searching for something like "what kind of expression is this called: (i = 0; I < x; i++)" so that I can do better research myself.

In Visual Studio for C#, ctor creates a constructor. I use that one all the time. Other than that, no.

No snippets, no LLMs, no autocomplete.

I use snippets off & on. They came in very handy at a previous company I worked with. Curious on the other answers because I've had some vague ideas for making snippets better but haven't looked deeper into what else is out there and a little wary of AI.

I find snippets really useful compared to AI because you have placeholders. You simply have to press Tab to switch from one placeholder to another and fill your snippet with your own values.Additionally, AI doesn't know how to produce the same output on each execution.

Yes, I'd rather keep them than have to go ask an llm, it would be an extra step.

Nothing bigger than a foreach/switch snippet that's built in to in Rider.The rest I can just do with whatever AI I'm currently using, they'll usually guess the variables right the first time too.

Of course I use snippets over AI.With AI, you never know what you'll get. OTOH snippets were created by hand by me. I know what to expect of them and what not to expect. They are always the same.

I think of what I do as more "code generation" than "snippets" though I guess that's something of a fine line

Yes, JetBrains + CoPilot is actually VERY good and is the only place I use LLM's in my daily life.

Only few, most of the things are done now with AI.

yes i dowe dont use AI at my work

I could never get the hang of snippets, too much to learn and too inflexible. Copilot for life.

All the time. I write a lot of typescript and don't enjoy typing out brackets, so I have snippets like:
`af` expands to `() => `
`naf` expands to `export const foobar = () => {};`
The expanded snippets can be tabbed through as well
It feels like a big timesaver

I mostly use them to create new React components (index.tsx, x.component.tsx, x.module.scss, x.types.ts).
I also use the nest cli to create new modules, services, ... which are king of snippets also.

I am using Alfred's Snippets feature. I have registered several snippets of GH Markdown and HTML.
note - gh:
> [!NOTE] > Highlights information that users should take into account, even when skimming.
ruby - html:
WORD(CAPTION)

I don't use an LLM in my editor whatsoever. I use snippets all the time for repetitive things and common expressions.
If I ever do use llms it's for searching for something like "what kind of expression is this called: (i = 0; I < x; i++)" so that I can do better research myself.

I find snippets really useful compared to AI because you have placeholders. You simply have to press Tab to switch from one placeholder to another and fill your snippet with your own values.
Additionally, AI doesn't know how to produce the same output on each execution.

Nothing bigger than a foreach/switch snippet that's built in to in Rider.
The rest I can just do with whatever AI I'm currently using, they'll usually guess the variables right the first time too.

Of course I use snippets over AI.
With AI, you never know what you'll get. OTOH snippets were created by hand by me. I know what to expect of them and what not to expect. They are always the same.

yes i do
we dont use AI at my work