Why Perfect Code Isn't the Key to Success

In the tech world, many believe that clean and well-structured code is essential for creating great products. However, Dhanji Prasanna, the chief technology officer at Block, disagrees. He argues that while good code is nice to have, it isn't what makes a product successful. Prasanna shared his thoughts on "Lenny's Podcast. " He said that many engineers think high-quality code is crucial for building successful products. But he believes that solving real problems is what truly matters. He learned this lesson while working at Google. When Google acquired YouTube in 2006, its engineers were shocked by YouTube's messy code. Despite this, YouTube became one of Google's most successful products. Prasanna explained that the success of a product depends on whether it actually helps users and solves their problems. He advised focusing on the problem you're trying to solve and the people you're building for. He even said that the code can be thrown away if it's not serving its purpose. Prasanna also talked about the importance of not getting caught up in every new technology trend. He believes that technology should serve a purpose and help achieve important goals. He emphasized that having a clear reason for what you're building is more important than using the latest technology. While Prasanna downplays the importance of code quality, other tech leaders have different opinions. Google's head of research, Yossi Matias, believes that everyone should learn how to code, especially in the age of AI. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber also stresses the importance of knowing how to write good code to evaluate AI outputs. However, not everyone agrees. Salesforce's chief futures officer, Peter Schwartz, argues that coding is no longer the most important skill in the AI era. He believes that empathy and the ability to work with others are more crucial. As AI continues to improve, some product managers speculate that AI will take on more technical coding tasks, reducing the need for human engineers.