Why I quit programming (2024)

FAQs

Why do most programmers quit? ›

Developers most often quit for culture issues, sub-par compensation, or stress and burnout. Here's how you can address each issue. Labor shortages plague the tech industry. Software development companies feel the weight of these challenges more than most, and many are taking the wrong approach to fix them.

The feeling of wasting my skills which I'd focused on since childhood to make people I didn't like wealthy was really weighing down on me, and I was depressed nearly the whole time I was at work. I really believe that programming has a lot to offer to humanity, and that it's being completely squandered in business.

It's too hard.

Coding can be a challenging and frustrating skill to learn. There are a lot of concepts to understand, and it can take a long time to get good at it. This can be discouraging for people who are not used to challenging themselves intellectually.

How many software developers quit? Developers changing jobs is not that rare. Nearly 7 in 10 software developers quit a stable job. Frustrating tasks, bad team environment, and the lack of the work-life balance often become the reason for programmers to quit.

To replace software engineers, you need artificial intelligence with creativity and problem-solving skills equal to or surpassing a human. In other words, software engineers will only get replaced once we have artificial general intelligence (AGI).

So will coding be obsolete? While these developments suggest a future where traditional coding skills may become less critical, it's essential to recognise that coding will not vanish overnight. Instead, the nature of coding is evolving, and with it, the skills required to excel in the tech industry.

Salary: The median annual salary for computer programmers was $97,800 as of 2022. Job Growth: The demand for computer programmers is expected to decrease 11% from 2022 to 2032. However, other computer-based careers are projected to increase by 14%.

Roughly 70% of working developers are happy at work right now, with over 90% saying it is important for them to be happy at work.

Coding skills give you the ability to participate in the transformational work of building technology products and creating innovative solutions to everyday problems, making it one of the most rewarding careers out there.

Will coding change my life? ›

After every lesson, my confidence grew, and not just as I grew as a developer. My whole outlook on my career—and what my life could be—changed. My ambitions weren't a curse anymore. Instead, they were the answer to why I spent 2-3 hours commuting everyday and 2-3 hours coding at night.

People who want to learn to code should have problem-solving, logic, and creativity skills. Coding is not for everyone, especially those who are uninterested in technology.

The demand for software developers is growing.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 26% increase in employment for software developers over the next 10 years.

Starting around late 2022 many companies had to lay off their technical recruiters due to lack of demand. Today they are witnessing an over-supply of junior developers, while opportunities for senior and specialist roles remain firm.

Most programmers work full-time, which typically means 40 hours a week. However, the tech industry can be known for flexibility, with some companies offering remote work options or flexible schedules. In certain cases, especially during project deadlines or in startups, programmers might work longer hours.

Bugs and Errors: Another major problem faced by programmers is dealing with bugs and errors in their code. Even the best programmers can make mistakes, and debugging can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Finding and fixing errors can take up a lot of time and resources, and can delay project delivery.

The demand for software developers is growing.

Data reported by the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (paywall) suggests that layoffs remained largely unchanged despite the headlines at the historically low number of 1.4 million, and the market is extraordinarily resilient.