Is Anyone Learning to Code Anymore?
Photo by Emile Perron on Unsplash
Do you remember how you got started in software development? You probably wrote awful code. Then you’d write slightly less terrible code. Eventually you’d be able to write code that you’d be actually proud of.
Does that sound something like you?
I’d bet it does, since that is how almost all of us got into this game. The scary thing is that this is ending for all of us.
The AI
Believe me, I’ve noticed. Nobody is reading blog posts anymore (I’m writing less because the audience has gone away, or it could be that Medium only push publications now I’m not entirely sure).
People are not interested in learning how to code, and with the advent of AI this is not entirely surprising. We don’t (at my current employer) value code at all, so we don’t see any improvement in the craft of software development. Nobody is getting any better at their job at all in terms of the craft or knowledge of software development. Nobody is moving up the chain of software development, no one is improving or getting better.
That’s a problem. Not because nobody learns to code anymore, but because no one is learning anymore. Nobody gets good at their jobs and decides to get better. As a result we are missing experts, and experts are really important.
The AI Generation
We are breeding a generation that aren’t experts. This means that they don’t know their jobs, they don’t know how to get better and they don’t know how to mentor others.
A whole generation misses the opportunity to become experts. Need a REST endpoint? Just ask AI. Need unit tests? Ask AI.
Nobody is learning REGEX anymore, and that might actually be damaging.
I’m not saying that AI doesn’t have its uses. I use it everyday, but I’m also the problem. I only kind of use my IDE everyday. That’s not good, and I’m pushing code without having ever looked at the code that’s been written. Which is why I’ve just spent two hours debugging an issue that doesn’t really exist (ask me about this later).
The Pipeline is Gone
The software industry used to have a fairly obvious pipeline.
University graduates.
Bootcamp graduates.
Career changers.
Junior developers.
Mid-level developers.
Senior developers.
Architects.
All gone. Now we are all junior developers having arguments with AI about the best way to approach a problem. Me? I keep saying STOP, STOP DON’T PUSH. Sound familiar? I’m not getting experience with the work I’m doing, I’m not improving. And it’s the experience that actually matters, and what actually fills out that paycheck.
Remember it’s not about typing. It’s about thinking and considering. And I”m in mourning that this is no longer part of the job. Most people are going to notice this, the problem is that they are going to notice this when it’s too late.
Experience still matters
What should we build?
Why did production fail?
Which trade-off matters here?
How much technical debt is acceptable?
Should this even be a microservice?
Sure you can ask AI for the answers. But it isn’t the right way to approach a problem. Using your mind is good for you. Wait 50 years, and I’ll be there to say I told you so (actually I’ll be dead, but that’s another story).
Anyway here’s the question that keeps bothering me.
If every company wants senior developers…
…and nobody wants to employ junior developers…
…where exactly are the senior developers supposed to come from?
I’ll leave that one with you.
About The Author
Professional Software Developer “The Secret Developer” can be found on Twitter @TheSDeveloper and regularly publishes articles through Medium.com
The Secret Developer is telling the truth now. Honestly.