Developer Laments Losing the Hands-On Coding Work That Drew Him to the Field

The author describes missing the craft of writing code, the satisfaction of turning a vague idea into a working solution. He argues that AI agents now produce first drafts faster than people can, so writing code by hand can feel like an inefficient choice, and daily work shifts toward delegating and reviewing output. He notes that a similar shift has long happened to senior engineers who moved into design and management, but says the change now lands on people who never sought a different role and receive no promotion in return. He acknowledges that some developers find managing agents engaging, while others find the constant switching, correcting, and judgment calls draining.