# Why engineering managers lose hands-on coding time

DevFeed: [Why engineering managers lose hands-on coding time](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-death-and-revival-of-the-hands-on-engineering-manager-32330.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://newsletter.manager.dev/newsletter/the-death-and-revival-of-the-hands-on-engineering-manager>)

Author: Anton Zaides

Published: 2026-08-04T06:01:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Manager.dev](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/manager-dev.md>)

Topics: [engineering-culture](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/engineering-culture.md>), [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>), [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>), [AI-assisted coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-assisted-coding.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [coding-agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding-agents.md>), [engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/engineering.md>), [engineering-manager](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/engineering-manager.md>), [manager](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/manager.md>)

## AI overview

The article examines how engineering managers gradually lose hands-on coding time as meetings, coordination, and project responsibilities increase. It argues that this shift can become a habit and discusses the case for managers remaining connected to the codebase.

## Source excerpt

Never prompted until today