Ah but really, I don't feel like a programmer most of the time anymore. And yet I write code. But it seems most of it, like 90% of it, is just boilerplate code to transform data from one form into another.
Throw in filters, validation, and access permissions at different points along the transformation chain, and you have 99% of most web applications.
Why are we writing so much code for all of this all the time? For a project I am faced with a decision. Do I write code? Or do I use some service which allows me to not write code? It seems lazy, it seems like the way out for people who just don't know how to program, why would I as a seasoned programmer make use of such a tool?
But then, why not? If I can use Dreamfactory to create a REST API to a database (complete with auto-generated documentation, authorization and permission checking, etc) and then use Appery to visually design a mobile app, and connect to the REST API, all without writing any code.. why not?
Granted there's still some edge situations that require some coding. But the rest is just thinking about the data, how to present it, and how to store it.
I'm not really a programmer anymore. I'm a data manipulator.
Or maybe I can put a nicer spin on it, and say I'm a "web application architect" - because there's still the process of defining the data, deciding how best to present it, and choosing the best tools and infrastructure to support it.
