"Code was never the hard part" is an insult to all programmers
The author argues that dismissing programming as 'easy' compared to product strategy is an insult to the technical expertise and effort required by software engineers. The piece highlights the complexity of coding and challenges the devaluation of technical skills in the age of AI.
Why it matters
It reflects the growing professional anxiety within the software industry regarding the impact of AI on job identity and the perceived value of technical labor.
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.
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