# Software Factories, Light and Dark

DevFeed: [Software Factories, Light and Dark](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/software-factories-light-and-dark-18059.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://addyo.substack.com/p/software-factories-light-and-dark>)

Author: Addy Osmani

Published: 2026-07-22T03:44:07Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Elevate](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/elevate.md>)

Topics: [Loop Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/loop-engineering.md>), [Software](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software.md>), [Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai.md>)

Tags: [agentic](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agentic.md>), [agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agents.md>), [harness](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/harness.md>), [loops](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/loops.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>)

## AI overview

The article revisits the idea of software factories through loops, harnesses, and factories. It distinguishes light factories, where humans remain involved, from dark factories, where agents scope, build, and ship code with limited human review. It argues that autonomy requires carefully designed checks, boundaries, tools, memory, and completion gates.

## Source excerpt

A software factory is harnessing loops at scale.