The software development profession is in the midst of upheaval. Nobody knows how the AI revolution will play out in the end, but it is clear many aspects of work and life will be transformed—including programming.
One of the comments I hear often lately boils down to “LLMs may be good at coding, but software was never the hard part” and “coding is easy, it’s figuring out what to code that’s hard”.
I believe that’s a gross insult to all programmers everywhere.
If coding is easy, how come programmers were in high demand, and have demanded large salaries for years (even before ZIRP)? Why was there so much stress, overwork and burnout even before AI started churning out 5000-line PRs? Why did companies seek 10x ninja rockstar coders and subject them to leetcode interviews—surely, a junior fresh out of college could churn out something if it’s so easy?
If coding is easy, why do we have doorstoppers likeClean CodeandThe Pragmatic Programmer? IsThe Art of Computer Programminga light summer read? Is SICP a coffee-table book? Why do we have bootcamps or even whole college degrees dedicated to it?
If coding is easy, wasCarmackjust at the right place at the right time? Why do we considerFabrice Bellarda genius?
If coding is easy, why are people angry at AI (or anyone else) copying their code? Why do they act like they’ve poured their sweat, soul, and copious amounts of time into something so trivial?
If coding is easy, why do many now feel like their identity and professional purpose are being stripped away from them?
If coding is easy, why is software so damn buggy?
If deciding what to build is the hard part, why do so many product managers seem clueless? Why aren’t there rigorous 10-step interviews for them? Why aren’t they getting paid more than the developers?
If deciding what to build is the hard part, why aren’t market researchers, usability experts and—hell, customer success—considered rockstars in a software company? If “understanding the customer” is harder, why are business analysts looked down on as pencil pushers?
If implementation is easy and finding demand is harder, why are programmers upset when the salespeople promise a new feature to a customer to close the sale? They’ve found a genuine demand, something people will pay for!