ChatGPT has been a successful and useful generative AI tool with millions of active users monthly. Its popularity and inevitable success is largely brought about by the model’s raw processing speed, clean interface and wide scope of knowledge or should I say access to it. It becomes an even more handy tool when it comes to developing software with uses such as brainstorming ideas, fixing bugs, generating code or just providing additional information. Knowing how to effectively utilize such a tool as a developer could be beneficial and will ultimately increase your productivity. Here are the main ways to make the most out of ChatGPT.
1. Be specific with queries
To make the most out of ChatGPT you need to provide clear and direct queries to get the most appropriate answers. How you structure your queries will determine the kind of output you receive from it. The more specific it is, the more accurate the results will be. Use clear vocabulary and avoid verbose terms to get the best results. Specific queries enable the model to concentrate on the exact problem that you’re facing, making it easier to diagnose and solve. When using ChatGPT for learning as we often do, being specific with questions about programming concepts, syntax or best practices usually results in detailed and informative responses.
2. Stuck? ChatGPT could help
Facing bugs and getting stuck are part of a developer’s journey. There are helpful sites that help a lot when looking for a solution on the internet, the most popular being Stackoverflow. However, to get a better insight into the errors faced, utilize ChatGPT by pasting the exact error statement to its query field. Chances are you’ll find a solution this way as this model goes over and beyond to bring you possible causes of the error and the fixes available. By providing the exact error message, stack trace or description of the problematic behaviour, ChatGPT will offer more relevant suggestions and debugging techniques as well as a detailed explanation of the problem at hand.
3. Ask follow-up questions
Use follow-up questions to clarify your initial question and get a more detailed and specified response. The model can tailor its response to fit the requirements provided and this most certainly brings the results expected. By asking more questions on the results provided, you can describe exactly the kind of information you want and with the prior information in the chat, the model can bring more relevant and accurate results.
4. Provide context
Providing context helps clarify the intent of the query and minimize generic or generalized responses. It helps the model understand the query within a specific context, leading to better and more tailored answers. Problem-solving is better when context is provided. One of the ways of giving context is by giving examples when writing your question or by using the chat history feature if you intend to build up on previous conversations. This enables a more natural and coherent flow, maintaining continuity in the conversation and thereby having a more interactive session. Providing context is crucial when fixing bugs in your code.
5. Evaluate responses
When using ChatGPT it is expected to not just blindly follow the answers provided, as they may be skewed and presented as factual. It is good to always evaluate all answers and use your thinking to determine the suitability of the responses. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, you can always regenerate a new result by clicking on the ‘regenerate response’ at the bottom of each reply. Note that you can try switching your question to a statement or by providing an example for more context. The model may be fast to process queries but it does not come without its shortcomings. It is expected that ChatGPT 4 has better responses and less chances of providing inaccurate information.
6. Code explanation and refactoring
The model can explain the code snippets provided as well as use it in an example. This is handy when you encounter a piece of code you’re unfamiliar with such as when going through a project’s source code hosted in a VCS like GitHub. It can decipher code written in multiple programming languages. Code refactoring is also possible, as it may provide suggestions to refactor your code to make it more efficient, readable or maintainable. It doesn’t stop there. Debugging is also possible and all you have to do is paste the sample code with an error and it shows the cause. This is possible due to its ability to read and deconstruct code.
7. Learn programming concepts
ChatGPT can be a very helpful tool to learn programming and computer science concepts to further deepen your understanding when it comes to concepts such as data structures, testing techniques, frameworks and software design methodology. The topic of data structures and algorithm design can be particularly daunting. ChatGPT can be used as an online tutor that helps us understand sorting algorithms, when and how to use data structures such as arrays and linked lists, and their time complexity. ChatGPT can also provide project ideas to reinforce your learning through a hands-on approach. For advanced learners, it can suggest a real-world application that you can build and showcase on your portfolio as well as help you understand how concepts are used in practical scenarios. This is a solid learning approach, one that deepens your comprehension.
8. Code reviews
ChatGPT can read and deconstruct your code. This enables it to review your code and provide insights such as adherence to best practices, provide feedback on code quality and identify potential issues. When seeking feedback on your code, specifying the areas or aspects that you’d like reviewed helps the model provide targeted feedback on issues such as the performance of your code and readability. ChatGPT can provide alternative code snippets or propose changes to the existing code. It can also help to quell any security concerns by reviewing the code for potential vulnerabilities and suggesting best security practices.
9. Utilize the power of chat history.
What makes ChatGPT better than most modern browsers is its ability to save your chat history which includes your queries and responses, for future analysis and to provide you with more personalized feedback. The fact that you can refer to a code snippet that was provided earlier in the conversation and get more information regarding it is a testament to its ability. With this ability to store and retrieve your prompts and responses, it becomes easier to build up from where you left, off as you ask it for more information based on earlier conversations. I think it’s the developers’ sweet spot.
Power users should consider upgrading to GPT-4
If you want to make the most out of ChatGPT, then you should consider upgrading to ChatGPT-4 if you haven’t. The latter boasts of even faster speeds, no downtime, much better performance and overall improved experience. It is noted that GPT-4 is ten times more advanced than its predecessor, ChatGPT-3.5. That alone is enough to tell you of its capabilities as an AI-language model.
ChatGPT as well as other large language models may turn out to be the most important tool since modern search engines. They have become a necessary tool in our work and our daily lives. It is important to note that while ChatGPT can be useful for programming, it does not overhaul the importance of documentation and actual practice. The points outlined above are a few of the major things to consider when using ChatGPT to get the most out of it, more so in a programming environment. It is always essential to validate the suggestions and code it provides, and to be aware of its limitations. The future however is bright.