We Solved the How to Code Problem. We Still Haven't Solved 'What to Build.'

The rise of AI-powered coding tools has significantly reduced the friction between an idea and a functional prototype. While developers can now generate code, tests, and APIs in hours, the author argues that this ease of implementation creates a new challenge: the tendency to build unnecessary software. When the cost of building is low, the risk of creating features that lack real-world utility increases. The article suggests that productivity should no longer be defined by the volume of code produced, but by the ability to make sound judgments about what actually deserves to be built. The author proposes five questions to evaluate project viability, emphasizing that as implementation becomes cheaper, the value of strategic decision-making and problem-framing grows. Ultimately, the challenge for modern developers is shifting from mastering the 'how' of coding to mastering the 'why' of product development.