We live in an era where AI can generate a React Component in 3 seconds. If your entire value as a developer is "I know how to write a useEffect hook," you are in danger.
As a developer currently diving deep into computer science fundamentals, I’ve realized a hard truth: Frameworks fade. Math is forever.
The "Tutorial Hell" Trap
Most junior developers are pushed into "Web Development Bootcamps" that teach tools, not logic. We learn how to use a hammer, but not how to build a house. We copy-paste code that works, but we don't know why it works.
I recently spent days trying to solve a Circle Packing problem on a constrained grid. A standard library would have failed because of the specific edge cases of my project. If I only knew syntax, I would have been stuck. Because I am learning Algorithms (specifically Genetic Algorithms), I was able to engineer a solution from scratch.
The Shift to "Hard Engineering"
The job market is flooded with people who can build a To-Do App. It is starving for people who can optimize a database query, reduce cloud costs, or secure a supply chain.
My advice to my peers? Stop worrying about the next version of Next.js. Go back to the basics. Learn Memory Management. Learn Big O Notation. Learn how to solve a problem without a library.
That is how you future-proof your career against AI. You don't compete with the robot on speed; you compete on depth.
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