If you have just finished a coding bootcamp, earned your degree, or built your first application with vibe coding, congratulations. You should be proud of what you have achieved. But finishing a course or shipping an application does not mean the learning is over. I certainly do not know everything, and I am still learning every day. Software engineering keeps moving, and choosing it as a career means accepting that there will always be something new to learn.
AI has made that pace of change even faster. Building applications is easier than ever, and I now use AI to write much of my code. When an AI assistant loses the thread after several rounds of prompting, I still have to diagnose the errors, clarify the problem, and guide it toward a sound solution. AI can move quickly, but it still needs direction and careful review.
My own journey was not straightforward. I left college with a computer engineering degree and expected to change the world. Instead, I quickly discovered how much I still had to learn. The landscape has changed dramatically since then, but the lesson remains the same. Developers have to keep adapting.
The 2026 Reality Check
The software engineering landscape in 2026 is not what it was when I broke into the industry.
When I entered the industry, a solid grasp of data structures, the ability to build a CRUD application, and a good interview could be enough to land a job. Today, AI tools such as Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor can generate boilerplate faster than you can type. That changes what companies expect from entry-level engineers, and recent hiring data reflects the pressure:
- Software developer employment among workers ages 22-25 declined nearly 20% by July 2025 (Stanford Digital Economy Lab)
- Tech industry graduate hiring dropped around 46% as AI takes on junior-level work (The Register)
Scary, right?
Here is the good news. Software engineering jobs are still projected to grow. AI is changing the role, not eliminating it. The developers most likely to thrive in 2026 and beyond are those who:
- Build strong fundamentals. Learn data structures, algorithms, system design, and database normalization. AI can generate explanations and solutions, but it cannot do the work of understanding for you.
- Use AI tools well. Work with Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor, validate their output, and learn where they fit into your workflow.
- Keep thinking critically. AI can write code, but you still decide what to build, why it matters, and whether the output is correct.
AI is not a substitute for judgement. Developers who combine strong fundamentals with effective AI use will remain valuable.
Why This Blog Exists
I started this blog to document my journey as a software developer. I am revisiting it today because that journey now looks very different.
Here is where I am now:
- My foundation. I began writing code more than six years ago, working with Spring Boot and Angular at NCS. I was later recruited through LinkedIn to teach a part-time web development course at Le Wagon Singapore.
- Products at scale. I gained experience building products for large user bases during my time at Glints and in my work since then.
- Healthcare AI. I recently transferred from the NUH Clinical Innovation Office to the Artificial Intelligence Office at the National University Health System (NUHS), where I develop applications that support cluster-wide initiatives.
This blog is my way of giving back. I write from three perspectives:
- The practitioner. I share lessons from building products that people use.
- The instructor. I draw on the challenges I have seen students and colleagues face.
- The 2026 developer. I explore new AI tools while staying grounded in the fundamentals.
What to Expect
I do not follow a fixed series or rigid schedule. I write about the topics that I believe matter:
- Foundational concepts. I cover Scrum, database design, user stories, and other subjects that never go out of style.
- AI-augmented workflows. I explain how I use Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor without becoming dependent on them.
- Real-world insights. I share lessons from building products, leading teams, and teaching developers.
- Career navigation. I explore how to prepare for a market that is tougher for junior developers but still full of opportunity.
Some posts will be technical. Some will be philosophical. All of them will be honest.
If you are entering the software industry in 2026, you face a tougher market than I did. You also have tools I wish I had when I started. Fundamentals and AI skills are useful on their own, but they are far more powerful together.
This blog is where I will help you develop both.
Welcome to the journey.