The Recurring Cycle of ‘Developer Replacement’ Hype
May 28, 2025
From NoCode to AI-AssistedEvery few years, a shiny new technology emerges that promises to make software developers obsolete. The headlines follow a predictable pattern: “The End of Coding,” “Anyone Can Build Apps Now,” or my personal favorite, “Why Your Five-Year-Old Will Be Programming Before Learning to Read.”The executives get excited. The consultants circle like sharks. PowerPoint decks multiply. Budgets shift.And then reality sets in.
Danilo Alonso observes we’ve seen this pattern before–an emerging technology (nocode, Cloud) reducing or eliminating the need for developers.
And it never seems to pan out like that.
Alonso argues the same will be true for LLMs.
