I drove cars before the sat nav systems and when I visited somewhere, I'd learn how to drive to there. The second drive would be from memory. However, as soon as I started relying on sat navs, I became dependent on them. I can not drive to a lot of places that I visited more than once without a sat nav these days (and I'm getting older, that's a part of it too).
I wonder if the same thing will happen with coding and LLMs.
On a roadtrip ten years back we chose to navigate by map and compass, and avoid highways.
With sat nav I don't even try to read the exit signs; I just follow the blue line. It takes me 10-20 drives somewhere before I have the muscle memory, and I never made an active mental effort.
Going somewhere by public transportation or foot, e.g. a large homogenic parking lot complex, I consciously make an effort to take mental pictures so I can backtrack or traverse perfectly the second time; in spite of that being mentally challenging, it's still the easiest way I have.
I cannot assemble the hardware that I write code for. This is in spite of having access to both the soldering equipment, the parts and the colleagues who are willing to help me.
At some point all skills become abstract; efficiency is traded for flexibility when you keep doing the same thing for a very long time.
I can still drive a stick shift, but maybe not in 20 years.
I wonder if the same thing will happen with coding and LLMs.