So I can still call myself a software developer, but I don’t think I can call myself a programmer anymore. But even in my role as a “software developer,” what I am doing is radically different. Writing code is a completely different animal from directing AI to write code. While I review the code that I write, that is not the same as reviewing the code that an agent writes for me.
Having an agent write code is like having another developer write your code for you and then reviewing it. It’s a totally different experience. You are no longer debugging typos and bugs but instead debugging the actual functionality of the code, and then having the agent fix the problems you find.
Gains and losses
You are basically looking over the shoulder of another developer who doesn’t mind you micromanaging everything she does, and who will execute your every command without complaint. Coding and iterating happen a lot faster, but the cost of unclear thinking can go up quickly as well. You lose the coding experience but you gain productivity — usually by orders of magnitude.
Some developers lament this loss. Some developers don’t even realize what they are missing. Either way, something is being left behind for sure.
