The Short Leash AI Coding Method for Beating Fable

A software developer describes the "Short Leash Method" for using AI coding agents to produce high-quality software in security-critical systems, emphasizing that expert developers must remain actively involved in reviewing every change rather than letting AI work autonomously. The approach involves careful planning, analyzing diffs before approving changes, and maintaining continuous oversight to prevent the AI from "going off the rails," contrasting sharply with popular but inferior "vibe engineering" methods that claim developers can step away entirely. The author argues this hands-on method produces better results than current frontier AI models like Fable 5, which often generate code that works but is inefficient and poorly designed.