Automating Routine Coding Tasks

by admin in Productivity & Tools 34 - Last Update November 26, 2025

Rate: 4/5 points in 34 reviews

I still remember the early days of my career. I\'d spend what felt like hours each week doing the same things over and over: creating project scaffolding, manually running a linter, checking for style guide violations, and deploying builds with a series of copy-paste commands. I thought it was just part of the job. It wasn\'t until I saw a senior developer run a single command that set up an entire project in seconds that I had my \'aha\' moment. I wasn\'t just losing time; I was draining my most valuable resource: cognitive energy.

How I decide what\'s worth automating

Over the years, I\'ve developed a simple mental checklist before I invest time in building an automation. Honestly, the temptation is to automate everything, but that can be its own form of procrastination. I ask myself three questions.

Does it happen more than three times?

This is my golden rule. If I find myself doing the exact same manual task for the third time, I stop. I open up a text file and start outlining a script. It might feel slower in that moment, but I\'ve learned that \'future me\' will be profoundly grateful.

Is it prone to human error?

Some tasks, like updating version numbers across multiple files or running a complex deployment sequence, are magnets for mistakes. I know because I\'ve made them. Automating these processes was a game-changer for my confidence and the stability of my projects. A script doesn\'t forget a step because it got distracted by a Slack message.

Does it break my flow?

For me, the biggest productivity killer is context switching. Having to stop thinking about a complex algorithm to run a linter or format a file shatters my concentration. These small, flow-breaking tasks are prime candidates for automation, especially with tools that can run in the background.

My personal automation toolkit

You don\'t need complex, expensive software to get started. My entire system is built on tools that are likely already on your machine.

The humble shell script

This is where it all began for me. Simple Bash or Zsh scripts are incredibly powerful. I have scripts for everything from bootstrapping a new component with all its necessary boilerplate files to cleaning up build artifacts. It\'s the lowest-hanging fruit and provides the most immediate satisfaction.

Git hooks are a superpower

I was hesitant to use Git hooks at first, thinking they\'d be complicated. I was wrong. Setting up a pre-commit hook to automatically run a linter and code formatter was one of the single best things I ever did for my workflow. It enforces consistency across the team without anyone having to think about it. No more debates in pull requests about trailing commas.

Simple CI/CD pipelines

When I first heard \'CI/CD\', I thought of massive, enterprise-level systems. But tools like GitHub Actions have made it accessible to everyone. I started with a simple workflow that just ran my test suite on every push. The peace of mind this gave me was immense. It\'s like having a robotic assistant who constantly checks your work for you.

The real change is a mindset shift

Ultimately, the tools are secondary. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was the \'it\'s faster to just do it manually this one time\' mindset. It\'s a lie we tell ourselves. Investing 30 minutes to automate a 2-minute task that you do 10 times a week pays for itself in just over a month. But the real return isn\'t in time saved; it\'s in focus preserved. By offloading the robotic work to the robots, I freed my mind to focus on what I actually love: solving interesting problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What's the first coding task I should try to automate?

I always suggest starting with something small and frequent. A great first step is setting up a code formatter to run automatically before you commit code using a Git hook. It’s a low-risk, high-reward task that immediately improves consistency and saves you mental energy.

Is it worth spending time to automate if a task only takes a minute?

I used to think it wasn't, but I changed my mind. That one-minute task, done multiple times a day, adds up. More importantly, it's a context switch that breaks your focus. Automating it protects your mental energy for the complex problems that really matter.

Are complex CI/CD pipelines necessary for solo developers?

I've found them incredibly valuable even on personal projects. You don't need a complex one. A simple pipeline that runs tests and lints your code on every push acts as a safety net. For me, it catches silly mistakes early and provides a huge confidence boost.

How do I avoid over-engineering my automation scripts?

This is a trap I've fallen into! My rule now is to solve only the immediate problem. Don't try to build a universal script for every possible future scenario. Start with a simple script that handles one specific case. You can always improve it later if the need genuinely arises.

What's the difference between using code snippets and full automation?

I see them as two sides of the same coin. Code snippets automate the *writing* of boilerplate code – you type a short command and get a block of code. Full automation, like a script or a Git hook, automates a *process* – like running tests or deploying your app. Both are essential in my toolkit.