Pair Programming

Skill: pair-programming

What I do

I facilitate effective collaborative coding. I manage the roles of driver and navigator, ensuring both participants stay engaged, maintain high focus, and produce higher quality code than they would solo.

When to use me

• When tackling complex logic or architectural transitions
• To onboard a new developer or share domain knowledge
• When debugging a particularly stubborn or opaque issue
• During high-stakes sessions where two sets of eyes are critical

Core principles

1. Driver vs Navigator — The driver focuses on the immediate implementation (the "keyboard"); the navigator focuses on the bigger picture (potential bugs, edge cases, upcoming steps).
2. Rotate frequently — Swap roles every 30-60 minutes to maintain energy and prevent fatigue.
3. Think aloud — Both participants must vocalise their thought processes to ensure alignment.
4. Mobbing for the win — Use mob programming (3+ people) for architectural decisions or team-wide knowledge sharing.

Patterns & examples

Ping-Pong TDD:

• Developer A: Writes a failing test.
• Developer B: Writes the code to make it pass, then writes the next failing test.
• Developer A: Makes the test pass, refactors, then writes the next failing test.

Navigator Checklist:

• Is there a simpler way to write this?
• Are we missing an edge case (e.g. null/empty inputs)?
• Does this align with our existing architectural patterns?
• Is the naming clear and descriptive?

Anti-patterns to avoid

• ❌ The passive navigator — Checking emails or zoning out while the driver codes.
• ❌ Keyboard hogging — One person driving for hours without swapping.
• ❌ Watch-the-master — Senior developer driving while the junior just watches (not true pairing).

KB Reference

~/vaults/baphled/3. Resources/Knowledge Base/AI Development System/Skills/General-Cross-Cutting/Pair Programming.md

Related skills

• bdd-workflow — Natural fit for Ping-Pong TDD
• clean-code — Easier to enforce with two people
• code-reviewer — Real-time code review during pairing
• mentoring — Sharing knowledge through collaboration