Patchwork
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While at ETHDenver 2025, amidst all the usual hype around blockchain and AI, we noticed something different. Developers weren’t geeking out over cutting-edge architecture, they were laser-focused on shipping functional products as fast as possible.
But this isn’t just about speed, it’s part of a massive shift behind-the-scenes that has actually happened before. Over a century ago, mechanical engineering underwent the same transformation, making technology invisible. This history doesn’t just explain how we got to where we’re at today, but reveals exactly where we’re headed next.
When was the last time you had a conversation about mechanical engineers? It’s been a while, right?
To jog your memory, in the late 1800s, mechanical engineers were the rockstars of innovation. They built the machines that powered the Industrial Revolution, drafted patents, and ultimately transformed daily life. But today, their work is invisible to most people. You drive a car, use appliances, and rely on infrastructure they all built without questioning the engineering behind them.
Software is following the same trajectory, only much faster. What took mechanical engineering a century is happening to software in just a decade. And if we follow the pattern, we can see exactly where we are in the cycle:
Specialist Era: Only experts with deep knowledge can participate (early mechanical engineers, first software developers)
Standardization Era: Common patterns and components emerge, but expertise is still required (standardized car parts, software libraries)
Abstraction Era: Complexity is hidden behind simple interfaces (car dashboards, modern APIs, AI-assisted coding tools)
Utility Era: The technology fades into the background and just works (cars, cloud computing, no-code software tools)
The evolution of websites is a perfect case study:
Stage 1 (Specialist): Early websites required deep knowledge of HTML, server configurations, and networking.
Stage 2 (Standardization): Common frameworks and templates streamlined the process.
Stage 3 (Abstraction): User-friendly site builders (WordPress, Wix, Webflow) emerged.
Stage 4 (Utility): Websites are now an expected, easily accessible utility for businesses and individuals.
According to W3Techs, WordPress now powers 43% of all websites, demonstrating how far the web has moved from manual coding to plug-and-play solutions.
At this pace, we're already in the third era, and with AI advancements, we’re close to approaching the fourth. But what does this mean for the tech industry? And more importantly, how can we prepare for what’s next?
"Software engineers in the future will be like mechanical engineers of the past," says Rob, our Principal Engineer. "They’ll still be around, but their work will become increasingly specialized."
Let’s clear up a common misconception: software engineering isn’t disappearing, it’s evolving. And we’re already seeing it break into three distinct layers:
A small elite will work on foundational, cutting-edge systems (think engineers designing the next-gen hardware chips, operating systems, and decentralized protocols that power everything else).
Mid-tier specialists will focus on complex applications (fine-tuning fintech platforms, cybersecurity systems, or immersive digital experiences).
Traditional programming tasks will be automated or simplified to the point of invisibility (think drag-and-drop app builders, automated cloud deployments, and AI copilots writing entire software applications from a simple prompt).
The main takeaway? As we always do as humans, we simply adapt. Just this adaptation will redefine the role of engineers, opening up a lot more doors than we can imagine.
For the first time in digital history, the main bottleneck isn’t implementation, it’s vision.
When mechanical engineering became invisible infrastructure, it freed society to focus on using transportation rather than understanding engines. Now, the same is happening with software. Invisible infrastructure refers to technology that is so seamlessly integrated into daily life that users no longer need to think about how it works, it simply functions in the background. The question is shifting from “Can we build it?” to “What should we build?”
This shift is driving the rise of “vibe coding”, the latest development mindset where AI-assisted tools enable rapid product creation over technical perfection. Unlike traditional software development, where teams of junior engineers write code and senior engineers later clean up technical debt, vibe coding bypasses this cycle entirely.
But vibe coding isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about achieving high-quality results without getting lost in unnecessary complexity. AI copilots and low-code platforms allow developers to focus on big-picture creativity, rather than manual coding.
The Gen Z perspective from Klimov, "The Pragmatic Engineer: Gen Z in Tech", reinforces this shift. Younger developers are less interested in infrastructure perfection and more focused on building fast, functional, and meaningful products. By reducing technical barriers, they’re opening the doors for more people to innovate.
Whether you realize it or not, this transformation is already changing the way you interact with technology:
Economic Democratization: The cost of creating software is plummeting, opening digital innovation to more people.
Reduced Complexity: The overhead of managing technology is disappearing as systems become more seamless and self-managing.
Creative Empowerment: The tools for building sophisticated digital products are becoming accessible to non-technical people.
The most forward-thinking mechanical engineers of the late 1800s weren’t just submitting patents; they were building the foundation for an era where people wouldn’t need to understand engines at all.
The same shift is happening with software today. The most strategic developers aren’t just focused on writing cleaner code, they’re designing systems that empower anyone to create without needing to code. This isn’t a prediction. It’s already happening.
As Rob puts it, "we’re not building tools for engineers; we’re building tools for future creatives. The technical barrier will be lower. Just like how you don’t need to be a mechanical engineer to work on a car, you won’t need to be a software engineer to work on software.”
Now that we've mapped out the past and present, keep an eye out for more blog posts as we chart the future.
Cover image: Design drawing for Babbage's Difference Engine no. 2, 1847
Software is entering a new era... one where the role of engineers is being redefined by AI, speed, & abstraction. It might feel like uncharted territory. But if you zoom out, you’ll see a familiar pattern 🤔 Yep, we’ve been here before 👇 https://blog.patchwork.dev/the-hidden-pattern
The blog post by @patchwork reflects on ETHDenver 2025, highlighting a shift in focus from cutting-edge architecture to quick product delivery. It parallels software’s evolution to mechanical engineering’s past, discussing the rise of "vibe coding" and the growing accessibility of tech innovation for non-engineers.