Developers love to latch onto the latest “magic bullet” solutions—object-oriented programming, functional programming, data-driven techniques, design patterns, test-driven development, continuous integration, continuous deployment, memory safety, rapid development, extreme programming, unit tests, functional tests, AI-assisted coding—you name it. There’s a common belief that mastering any one of these will solve all their problems. Newsflash: It won’t.
I’m not saying these practices aren’t valuable; they are. But here’s the harsh truth: no methodology or tool can replace the hard work of actually thinking about the problem, understanding the nuances, and applying your experience. I’ve seen developers slap on design patterns like they’re checkboxes to tick, or rely on AI to generate code without a second thought, only to end up with messy, unmaintainable solutions.
That’s why I love C++. It’s a language that doesn’t let you off easy—it forces you to think deeply. Being multi-paradigm, C++ allows you to blend these practices directly in the code, but it’s up to you to choose the right approach for the right problem. You want to do object-oriented design while optimizing for performance? C++ lets you do that. You want to mix functional programming with low-level memory management? Go for it. But the language won’t hold your hand or cover up bad decisions.
So, yes, use these methodologies, embrace AI tools, and learn the latest techniques. But don’t fool yourself into thinking they’ll save you from having to think hard and make tough decisions. In the end, it’s your brain and your experience that matter the most. Everything else is just a tool.