About whether AI coding tools are ending the need for software developers.
Has this happened?
Yes 48 (39%)Not sure 17 (14%)No 57 (47%)
Votes cast 1–2 October 2026: 100,590 votes from 9,694 people.
Hacker News has set AI a lot of challenges over the years. Which ones has it met?
About whether AI coding tools are ending the need for software developers.
Votes cast 1–2 October 2026: 100,590 votes from 9,694 people.
I think the crux of this post is spot-on: we’re nowhere near a “post-developer” era. LLMs are great accelerators, but they still need a competent human in the loop.
That said, I do think he understates how much the value of certain developer skills is shifting. For example, pixel-perfect CSS or esoteric algorithmic showmanship used to signal craftsmanship — now they’re rapidly becoming commoditized. With today’s tools, I’d rather paste a screenshot into an LLM and tweak the output than spend hours on handcrafted layouts for a single corporate device.