# AI Coding Tip 021 - Avoid Comprehension Debt

DevFeed: [AI Coding Tip 021 - Avoid Comprehension Debt](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/ai-coding-tip-021-avoid-comprehension-debt-18211.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://maximilianocontieri.com/ai-coding-tip-021-avoid-comprehension-debt>)

Author: Maxi Contieri

Published: 2026-05-23T15:24:29Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Maximiliano Contieri - Software Design](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/maximiliano-contieri-software-design.md>)

Topics: [ai-coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-coding.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/coding.md>), [Learning](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/learning.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [ai-coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai-coding.md>), [audit](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/audit.md>), [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding.md>), [debug](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/debug.md>), [implement](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/implement.md>), [onboarding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/onboarding.md>), [production](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/production.md>), [quality](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/quality.md>), [team](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/team.md>), [technical](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technical.md>), [tests](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tests.md>), [velocity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/velocity.md>)

## AI overview

This tutorial explains how merging AI-generated code without understanding it creates comprehension debt: a growing gap between the codebase and what the team can genuinely explain and maintain. It recommends requiring explanations, documenting AI-made architectural decisions, testing understanding without the AI chat, and adding comprehension checks to pull requests.

## Source excerpt

TL;DR: Merging code you don't understand creates comprehension debt that compounds until your team can no longer maintain it. Common Mistake ❌ You ask the AI to implement a feature. The code looks cl