Should Engineering Managers Write Code? It Depends on Your Definition of 'Coding'

This article explores whether engineering managers should write code. The author argues that all managers should be 'in the code,' understanding the codebase and how their team works, but not all managers need to be primary code writers. Managers should focus on improving team efficiency, such as hiring, strategy planning, decision-making, culture building, mentoring, etc. However, in the current economic climate, managers face higher efficiency demands and need to find a balance between being 'in the code' and fulfilling other management responsibilities. The article suggests methods for managers to be 'in the code,' such as setting aside dedicated coding time, pair programming with reports, doing code reviews, and increasing coding involvement during specific occasions (e.g., prototyping or incident handling). Ultimately, the author concludes that the key is whether managers are 'in the code,' not whether they primarily write code.