Code vs Product Focus

This cluster debates whether software engineers should prioritize writing high-quality code for its own sake or focus on delivering useful products that solve user problems and provide business value.

➡️ Stable 0.7x Career & Jobs
3,870
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#852
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

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Keywords

IMHO LLM SWE nielsen.com CDK KISS VCS i.e blog.jim FAANG software code writing value product user writing code write plumbing code does

Sample Comments

tus88 Sep 8, 2020 View on HN

There are things more important than working software.

goosejuice Mar 3, 2025 View on HN

You're romanticizing software. To place more value in the code than the outcome. There's nothing wrong with that, but most people that use software don't think about it that way.

aidaman Jun 5, 2022 View on HN

lol because developing products that users want/work well for users is 100x more important than writing code.

C1sc0cat Oct 8, 2019 View on HN

A very good software engineer, is defined by the code they don't write

reidjs Mar 31, 2023 View on HN

The goal shouldn’t be to code, but to create useful software.

alexkearns Nov 8, 2012 View on HN

Just because you focus on the product does not mean you ship bad code. Nor does a focus on the code mean you ignore the product. I see it more of a philosophical thing - what excites you most? Writing a highly efficient, perfectly formed piece of code; or creating a product that others use.

bartq Mar 29, 2020 View on HN

Title should be "If you don't work on software product, you’re not writing code, you’re solving business problems with code".

andi999 Nov 11, 2020 View on HN

Actually writting good software (from an engineering perspective) is easier than coming up with a popular software. If you dont like the 'easier' statement, I can replace it with 'more important' or 'different'. So maybe he shouldnt work as a programmer for FAANG, but more like a product manager (and let the other people write code for him)

blaze33 Mar 4, 2019 View on HN

Actual reports from actual users are priceless to build what provides value actually worth paying for.I've met devs considering good code and well engineered systems as their ultimate work goals. While myself, only ever saw software as tools towards any actual value keeping the business afloat.Does that make me a weird software engineer? Or one that should look for some better suited role? Still wondering...

Piotr2993 Feb 12, 2021 View on HN

Because I'm not paid to code but to produce software