Writing Code for Better Art: A Craftsman's Guide

The algorithm doesn't judge your code — it interprets it. But certain qualities consistently produce more visually rich results. Not because the algorithm is biased toward them, but because they provide more information, more structure, and more signal for the visual engine to work with. These tips aren't about gaming the system — the elegance multiplier is capped, and you can't trick the algorithm with artificial patterns. They're about writing code that gives the algorithm more to interpret.

Write comments that explain why, not what. Documentation boosts the elegance multiplier and adds narrative depth that the algorithm translates into visual richness. Keep functions small and focused — modularity is rewarded with balanced, harmonious compositions. Use meaningful variable names that strike the balance between clarity and conciseness — the Goldilocks zone that earns the highest elegance bonus. Include tests in your project — their presence signals quality and adds visual stability to the result.

Connect a full repository via GitHub rather than pasting a snippet. The full codebase gives the algorithm enormously more to work with — more patterns to detect, more structure to interpret, more scale to leverage. Multi-language repositories produce richer color palettes with more variety. If your project spans TypeScript, Python, and SQL, you'll see three painter influences blending into something unique. Scale doesn't guarantee better art, but it unlocks more visual complexity for the algorithm to employ.

Recursive functions create unique visual signatures — repeating motifs that echo into the distance. Async/await patterns produce flowing, river-like compositions. Error handling adds protective structures. These patterns aren't things you should add artificially — they should emerge naturally from solving your problems. But knowing that the algorithm sees them might make you appreciate the visual dimension of your coding choices. The patterns you reach for instinctively become the textures of your art.

Try the same code with different preferences — a calm nature scene versus an energetic cosmic landscape. Compare a single file to the full repository. Try your oldest code and your newest code side by side. Generate the same code with all-Auto preferences, then customize one setting at a time to see how each preference shifts the result. The best way to understand DevPaint is to use it. Every generation teaches you something about how your code is seen. The most surprising artworks come from code you least expect.