Reading the comments here, I'm struck by how many people seem to view code quality as an optional thing. It's almost as if software can function correctly without it. But it can't. Code quality is not a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. For any moderately-complex offering. There's a certain level of complexity that you can never reach without a well designed codebase. Cannot reach no matter how many humans or AI agents you throw at the problem.
The idea that it's a 'nice-to-have' is an illusion. It's like if you borrowed a lot of money to fund your startup and you still have some cash in the bank; at that point, a viable business model might seem like a 'nice to have'.
It's only when the lender comes knocking and you don't have enough money to pay them that a viable business model suddenly becomes a 'must-have'.
The idea that it's a 'nice-to-have' is an illusion. It's like if you borrowed a lot of money to fund your startup and you still have some cash in the bank; at that point, a viable business model might seem like a 'nice to have'.
It's only when the lender comes knocking and you don't have enough money to pay them that a viable business model suddenly becomes a 'must-have'.