After 10+ years and now working as a Principal Software Engineer, I've discovered the real challenge isn't in the code, it's in everything that ha...
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After over 10 years, I've learned coding is the easy part.
The hardest part? Estimates, explaining tech subjects to non-tech managers, convincing clueless PMs why we can't finish a project in half of the time or have crazy features in a 2-week sprint, navigating the corporate world and its dynamics...
Exactly! Also, the ever changing requirements and priorities!
After years in the industry, I’ve realized the same thing — the hardest part isn’t the syntax or even the debugging itself, it’s the thinking work around understanding the real problem, aligning with the team, and making decisions that won’t cause headaches six months later.
That “one character bug” story is such a perfect metaphor. The hours spent investigating aren’t wasted — they’re where the true engineering happens. Writing the code is just the tip of the iceberg; the real weight is in the invisible mental effort underneath.
Great reminder that software engineering is as much about problem-solving, communication, and context as it is about programming.
Right! And this is something which everyone should internalise. Every now and then, I hear about how someone Vibe coded a new application or feature.
Is that even possible without having the critical thinking?
Getting the happy path to work is the easiest part. Making sure it doesn't take down Production is separate but more important skill.
I'm beginning my web developer career now and it's very nice to see texts like yours! Being a freelancer means that I don't have people to talk to and share my experiences/frustrations, so posts like these are very helpful! Thanks for this
Your welcome. I'm glad it resonated and you find it helpful. I'm planning to write more such articles which gives perspective to the beginners so that have a right direction in navigating their careers. If you have any pain points do share here.
It's easier to make something complex than it is to make something simple. Identifying the touch points and prioritizing the deliverables can make or break a project. The experienced developer should have equal weight in the room, not to be shooting down PM ideas, but to reframe the solution into a smaller and less risky implementation that provides the biggest bang for the buck.
This really resonates—after years of experience, it’s never been the syntax or frameworks that challenge me the most, but rather the thinking: clarifying the true problem, navigating edge cases, and aligning with the team before writing a single line of code. It echoes perfectly what was shared recently in “The Good Devs, the Bad Stress and the Ugly Truth”—the mental load, the pressure to keep up, the constant balancing act between quality, growth, and well-being. Thanks for shining a light on the invisible aspects of engineering that deserve more recognition.
For anyone interested, here’s the post I mentioned: The Good Devs, the Bad Stress and the Ugly Truth
Really nice article!
Great article, and I think all newbie to read this
Yeah, they really should!
thanks for sharing. it's *very helpful *
Glad it was helpful!