HN Explorer

Ask HN: Is it normal to not write code for a years as software engineer?

1 points by khalidahmad ↗ HN
I have been working as software engineers for 12 years, and the last 2 years I have been utilize AI for coding, and the last years mostly I don't code or type code anymore, just doing prompt, a review of the generated code, and setting a workflow for agent to spesific task. I just feels I'm starting to lose my basic programming skills to write code from scrath

16 comments

[ 7.9 ms ] story [ 49.6 ms ] thread
rator9521
Actually, it seems like the reason to type the code directly has disappeared. In Korea, the computer science field is already experiencing a shortage of new university students, and developers' salaries have been cut by an average of 50%.
khalidahmad
yes I do 100% agree the reason to type the code directly has disappeared. And I was still wondering what is the worth for us software engineer to make ourself valued than others if we don't type the code anymore. at the same time applying to new companies somehow still asking to type a code from scratch, it feels confusing and weird since at daily basis we don't do it anymore.
locknitpicker
I think it's starting to become the new normal. A couple of years ago I was pushing myself to go way out of my way to use AI code assistants in tasks I would never use before. Now I find myself doing the exact same thing but to manually write code.
khalidahmad
thanks for sharing, I feel so bad last time I was trying to apply for new company and can't properly doing a to type a code from scratch test
cutthegrass2
I forget who initially said this, but it rings true now more than ever, especially in the context of writing code.

"Writing is not merely the final product of thought; it is the primary tool through which thinking happens"

Reading the diff after the LLM writes the code 'feels' like understanding but I don't think it really is. If you didn’t write the code, did you write the spec, the tests, or the design? If not, who did the thinking?

khalidahmad
yes I agree, I don't think reading the diff makes me understanding the implementation, and actually I'm starting not to reading it anymore. it is product manager that write the spec, and ui ux that make the design, manual or automation test is by QA, unit test is by software engineer using AI.
spottedmarley
If you enjoy coding, keep doing it. If it's only something you do for a paycheck then do whatever the paycheck requires, let AI write it all. If you're worried about losing your skills, the obvious solution is to just keep writing code, for yourself.
khalidahmad
coding is enjoy back then, but since AI era, it is not enjoy anymore, even it is make me lose the reason to coding anymore, it is like back then being a student that enjoying solving complex math problem only using pencil and paper, but after being introduce with the calculator, it will leave the pencil and paper
slipwalker
in our current zeitgeist, yes it is.

After all, you named it "software engineering", not "software masonry"..... you make the design, the machine lays the bricks.

khalidahmad
thanks for sharing, glad to hear I'm not alien software engineer
gcheong
Congratulations, you've been "promoted" to manager.