Writing code was always easy...

June 21, 2026

tl;dr I figured out that I don't have difficulty writing syntax. I have a lack of understanding of programming concepts that makes doing certain things difficult.

In the past few months the phrase "writing code was always the easy part" is something that I've read a lot. Always as a part of the discussion on how AI won't affect people who have learned more than just how to write code. I understand where they're coming from but i've always disagreed because I've always found code difficult to write. That is, until I saw this same phrase written just a bit differently.

Syntax was always the easy part

It finally clicked that whenever I had issues, my problem wasn't writing code either. My problem has always been what code to write and where. Which I realize was never because writing code in the correct syntax was ever hard. But I've never actually given my all to understanding what makes code good. And again, I'm not talking about the syntax. Im talking about all the methodologies, paradigms, practices, etc that they have written thousands of books and articles about.

I tell myself that I'm a senior developer just because I've been working for 12 years. Just because I have built systems based on client needs from scratch without anyone telling me what to do. Just because I worked in all phases of projects from start to finish. But to be honest I've never felt like a senior developer. And the reason is because before I read that phrase about syntax today, writing code has always felt difficult to me. However, now I can feel the my doubts melting away. I know now that yes, writing code was always the easy part, and now that I know that, I've freed up space in my brain to learn DSA and design patterns on a level that isn't just memorization.