Writing Code Was Hard, Actually (promptless.ai)

Recent discussions in the tech community have sparked a debate over the true difficulty of coding, as AI tools like Claude Code are revolutionizing software development by enabling non-tech users to create products without writing code. Critics argue that the narrative diminishing the complexity of coding overlooks the significant expertise and investment required to develop these AI systems. The argument is that it took decades of research and massive resources to make these tools possible, highlighting that coding was never trivial, but rather a complex skill that now faces transformation as AI simplifies the task. Proponents of this revisionist view may claim that coding was never the hard part, suggesting that the challenge lies in understanding requirements and designing systems. However, this perspective fails to acknowledge the foundational role engineers played in creating the AI technologies that automate coding. As the demand for coding skills shifts due to advancements in AI, the focus should be on the engineers who built these tools rather than underestimating their contributions. The evolution of coding tools signifies not the devaluation of engineering skills, but an opportunity for engineers to apply their expertise to tackle more complex challenges in the future.