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Today, I came across an article on TechCrunch: The great computer science exodus (and where students are going instead).

It shows that UC campuses saw a drop in computer science enrollment for the first time since the dot-com crash (6% in 2025, 3% in 2024), but students are shifting to AI-focused programs.

Over the last year, I ve been experimenting more with local-first patterns , apps that prioritize offline functionality and sync later instead of depending on constant server calls.

What used to feel experimental now feels surprisingly stable. Faster UI, fewer loading states, and a smoother user experience overall.

I rebuilt a small side project recently with a local-first approach, and the difference in responsiveness was noticeable. But it also introduced new challenges around conflict resolution and state consistency.

It makes me wonder:

I ve noticed that my workflow has changed completely over the last year. I rarely start a new project with a blank file anymore. Instead, I pick a template, reuse snippets, or let an AI helper suggest the structure and then I just vibe my way through the build.

It s faster, but sometimes I miss the old blank screen energy, when every line felt handcrafted.

I m curious how others here approach it:

Do you still prefer to build from scratch?