Developer Tim Leland recently asked his audience, "When was the last time you wrote code by hand?" His own answer highlights a rapid shift in developer workflows: Leland hasn't sat down to write a full feature manually since January or February 2026. Since the arrival of the Codex app in February, he has fully adopted AI-driven development, using spoken prompts and screenshots to guide the agents rather than typing every line himself.

The 'Professional Maker' Shift

Leland's experience mirrors sentiments expressed by David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) at Rails World 2026. In a widely discussed clip, DHH stated, "I have retired from being a professional programmer," describing a transition to a "professional maker" role. Leland notes that while he loved the deep focus of traditional coding sessions, he no longer feels the need to manually type every line to validate his skills as a developer. The foundational knowledge gained from years of manual coding now serves as a critical filter for reviewing AI-generated changes.

Agentic Loops and Cross-Repo Work

The true power in Leland's new workflow lies in the agentic loop: reading code, making changes, running tests, inspecting failures, and attempting fixes autonomously. He emphasizes the utility of giving agents access to multiple repositories, allowing them to trace bugs from the frontend through the API to shared packages. This capability addresses the reality that bugs rarely respect repository boundaries. Leland views current AI coding as the "worst" it will ever be, betting that future models will get better at identifying and repairing the mistakes left by today's agents.

The Cost of Good Software

Despite the ease of code generation, Leland aligns with Simon Willison's assertion that "Good code still has a cost." Generating lines is cheap, but producing reliable software still requires solving the right problem and verifying results. Leland advises developers to try agents on real features, review the output, and run tests rigorously. He cites the Kodak analogyβ€”where the company saw digital photography coming but failed to adaptβ€”to warn against clinging to outdated workflows. The goal isn't to stop learning, but to learn the new tools before they leave you behind.

Key Takeaways

  • Tim Leland stopped hand-writing full features in early 2026 after adopting the Codex app.
  • DHH's 'professional maker' concept at Rails World 2026 signals a broader industry shift away from manual typing.
  • Agentic workflows excel at cross-repository debugging by following issues from frontend to backend.
  • Developers should use AI for execution but retain manual review skills to ensure quality and security.

The Bottom Line

If you're still manually typing every line, you're likely slowing down your iteration speed. The market rewards those who can build and ship faster, not those who cling to the nostalgia of manual coding. Adapt your workflow or risk becoming obsolete.