This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Lorenz Hofmann-Wellenhof
Coding is changing faster than most engineers realize.
I realized this while listening to Boris Cherny, the creator of Claude Code. He’s the kind of friendly nerd whose eyes are always smiling, and his perfect day is just sitting and coding (his words not mine). The way he describes the shift made me realize something: the job of an engineer is no longer just about typing code — it’s about guiding, reviewing, and shaping ideas.
In this article, I’ll share Boris’s three biggest insights: how coding roles are changing, why ideas matter more than perfect lines of code, and how to use Claude Code so it feels like a true teammate.
How Agentic Coding Is Changing the Engineer’s Job
Agentic coding will not replace engineers, but it will change what the job looks like.
Writing code by hand will still matter, but more time will shift toward guiding, reviewing, and making choices. Instead of focusing only on keystrokes, engineers will focus on judgment and design.
Before: engineers typed code line by line.
After: engineers will steer agents, project by project.
Claude Code already shows where this is heading. It can draft pull requests, fix small issues, and even debug by checking logs. In the next year or two, agents will move beyond simple edits and start handling full projects, like building an app or shipping a feature. The engineer’s role will be to set goals, review results, and make sure everything fits into the bigger picture.
To thrive, engineers need to learn how to work with agents: when to hand tasks off, when to stay in control, and how to frame the right problems. The job isn’t going away — but the skills that matter are shifting.
The engineer of the future will stand out less by the code they write and more by the choices they make about what gets built.
Code Isn’t Precious Anymore — But Your Ideas Are
With coding agents, the value of code itself is changing.
In the past, writing code by hand was slow and often blocked by complex tools. Now, agents can rewrite code in minutes, which shifts the focus away from the code and toward the ideas behind it.
Claude Code shows that code is no longer “precious.” You can rewrite a file over and over without worrying about wasting time. This makes it easier to test new ideas, try different approaches, and move faster. Instead of spending weeks learning frameworks, you can focus on building what you imagined and let the agent handle the setup. Engineers still enjoy hand-coding, but the real advantage comes from speed and flexibility. The more quickly you can try an idea, the more likely you are to find something that works.
This change means the spotlight is less on polished lines of code and more on what you can create. Progress is measured by outcomes, not by how many hours you spent typing. Builders who adapt will put their energy into vision and creativity.
In the age of coding agents, ideas — not lines of code — are your real leverage.
A Simple Framework for Using Claude Code Well
The best way to start with Claude Code is not by asking it to write code, but by using it to explore and learn.
New users often skip straight to code generation, but that misses the real entry point. As Boris explained, Claude works best first as a discovery partner: answering questions, surfacing design choices, and building trust.
Start by asking Claude to:
- Walk through your project
- Explain why certain parts are built the way they are
- Show how a function has changed over time
This helps you see it as more than autocomplete — it’s a guide.
Once you’re comfortable, divide your work into three levels:
- Easy → let Claude handle it fully (e.g. tag @Claude on GitHub to draft a PR)
- Medium → plan the steps together, then auto-accept
- Hard → you stay in control while Claude supports (research, quick prototypes, writing tests)
This system keeps the big decisions in your hands, while letting Claude take weight off where it can.
Using this approach turns Claude Code from a novelty into a reliable teammate. Instead of guessing what it can do, you already know how to use it. That means faster progress, fewer surprises, and stronger trust.
Start with exploration, then step by step give Claude more responsibility — it works best when you guide it.
I have been getting pretty obsessed with Claude Code lately and I shared some of my learnings. Check them out:
- Obsessed With Claude Code? Same. Here Are My Useful Discoveries
- Read These 4 Claude Code Resources or You’re Using It Wrong
I love sharing tools and insights that help others grow — both as engineers and as humans.
If you’re enjoying this post, here are two things you shouldn’t miss:
Medium Insights — A tool I built to explore the analytics behind any Medium author, helping you uncover what works and why.
Everything I Learned About Life — A Notion doc where I reflect on lessons learned, practical tools I use daily, and content that keeps me growing.
Find all resources (and more) here: Start Here
The Friendly Nerd Behind Claude Code on the Future of Coding was originally published in Level Up Coding on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Lorenz Hofmann-Wellenhof