Software development in the age of intelligence: embracing large language models with the right approach

The emergence of large language models(LLMs), represented by ChatGPT, has had a pro-found impact on various fields, including software engineering, and has also aroused widespread concerns. To see a right way through the fog, we have recently been discussing and contemplating a theme of "software development in the age of LLMs," or rather "the capability of LLMs in software development," based on various technical literature, shared experiences, and our own preliminary explorations. Additionally, I have participated in several online interviews and discussions on the theme, which have triggered further insights and reflections. Based on the aforementioned thinking and discussions, this article has been composed to disseminate information and foster an open discussion within the academic community. LLMs still largely remain a blackbox, and the technology is still rapidly iterating and evolving. Moreover, the existing cases reported by practitioners and our own practical experiences with LLM-based software development are relatively limited. Therefore, many of the insights and reflections in this article may not be accurate, and they maybe constantly refreshed as technology and practice continue to develop.