Pair programming | Swizec Teller - The Legend of Hanuman

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I find that there’s 2 types of pair programming:

when you need to move fast, the more experienced person drives
when you want to teach, the less experienced person drives

The second option can be super frustrating but it’s more effective long-term.

The first option is great for picking up on little techniques that the expert wouldn’t even think to mention because they’re so ingrained you forgot you ever had to learn them. Like jumping around a debugger or git grepping to navigate a codebase.

Always have a goal in mind.

Pair debugging is best. Pair refactoring with a specific outcome is amazing. Pair coding a new feature … eh.

Cheers,
~Swizec

PS: pairing is most effective before you start to code. Start every project with a little system design session and things will go smoother I promise

Published on August 26th, 2025 in Teamwork, Reader Questions

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