Google exec says software engineering is changing rapidly, but now is the best era to be a developer.

"If you thought your job as a software engineer was about writing code in a specific language and framework, the world is definitely changing in front of you. I've always loved to code, but that's not really what a software engineer's job is. It's to apply engineering techniques and use technology to solve problems. It's about taking something messy and making it crisp."

"I love the era we're in right now. I'm building faster and better than ever because I can now offload complex workflows to AI, making this the most productive and exciting period in my engineering history. As a developer it really feels like the only limits right now are my imagination and time."

"That's a skill that people can pick up, but now it's more important than ever, and certainly more important than memorizing how an API works."

Keith Ballinger, Google's vice president for Developer & Experiences, reflects on his career spanning Microsoft, startups, GitHub, and Google. He emphasizes that software engineering fundamentally involves applying engineering techniques and technology to solve problems rather than simply writing code in specific languages. Ballinger highlights that AI is transforming the profession by enabling developers to work faster and more efficiently. He spends over 20 hours weekly experimenting with new tools and believes this represents the most exciting period in engineering. The role of memorizing APIs has diminished in importance compared to developing problem-solving and communication skills. Ballinger views current limitations as imagination and time rather than technical constraints.

Read at Business Insider