WorkflowMaturity: Emerging
Vise Coding
Keep the change between the spec and the gates. Move in small steps.
1 min read
What it is
Vise Coding keeps the change between two jaws. One jaw is the spec. The other is the quality gate. The agent works in the middle. It moves forward only when the step is small and the checks pass.
Why it matters
This keeps review simple. It also catches drift early. The approach works best when you already have real tests and static checks.
Vise view
Move through the gatesSpec
Write the intent first. Keep the target small.
Agent
The agent works here, between the jaws.
Keep each step small and reviewable.
Quality gates
Tests keeps the vise tight.
Vise Coding in three minimal steps
Define gates, apply a small change, release only on green.
Step 1/3
Step 1 — Define the vise gates
Make quality checks explicit before coding.
List<String> gates = List.of("lint", "build", "tests");Everyone knows what must pass.