Ask HN: What do you think is the most joy a programmer can have in programming?

[franktankbank]

Working in an industry/space in that industry which you genuinely believe in +

Having the skill to compete competently +

Having a magnificent pay/payout

I would probably be at least happy having just one of the above. All 3 would probably feel like I was on some sort of drugs.

[fuzzfactor]

I've found it's when you finish programming, and get to use your new code to accomplish what you set out to do with the electronics that you couldn't do before.

[damnitbuilds]

Tying together some existing libraries with a nice bit of code of your own, and making something new and amazing.

In fact, since you ask, I just made something that let's people access data in a whole new way.

Coming soon...

[damnitbuilds]

Although these days, asking an AI to do some low-level but complicated task and seeing it done ten times as fast as you could do it by hand is also quite satisfying.

[__patchbit__]

How the SQLite C programmers must feel. Impact.

[JohnFen]

Being in the flow state.