Taming Powerful AI Coding Tools: The Understandability Rule

As AI coding agents like Claude Code become more powerful, developers face a critical challenge: how to confidently manage tools they may not fully understand. The answer lies in optimizing for understandability—demanding that your coding agent produces readable, maintainable code that you can review and take responsibility for. This approach isn't just about safety; it aligns perfectly with established software engineering best practices, turning risk management into a framework for building better systems.