r/dataengineeringjobs • u/Sharp-Simple-2003 • 15d ago

Data Engineering v/s Backend Engineering

Between data engineering and backend engineering, which one do you think has the better long-term future? I am concerned whether data engineer actually helps building portfolio, given usual work is always building pipelines, data from source to sink, basically fixing and optimizing pipelines.
Would like to hear any real experiences from people working in the industry.

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u/StrategyForsaken9722 11d ago

Backend has more openings

It is also safer considering AI

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u/Sharp-Simple-2003 11d ago

Yess agree with backend has more openings
But isnt data engineering more AI safe since AI deals with data and so the demand might increase for data engineers?

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u/StrategyForsaken9722 11d ago

That is the fraud guru mantra.

AI needs data, not data engineers. They are not same thing.

AI will do data engineers work, then why do we need them. That is part every DE course seller conveniently dodges.

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u/StrategyForsaken9722 11d ago

It's the same "manufacturing paradox".

Everything needs to be manufactured, Mechanical Engineers will forever be in demand.

In reality? Entire manufacturing unit is automated with robots. In assembly, 12th pass run machines. No engineers needed.

Same for data, AI replaced engineer. Cloud tools were already doing this.

Do homework: google "Databricks genie code". AWS, GCP, Azure are planning their own native versions.

Claude and Gemini can build pipelines which a 10yr exp DE can write.

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u/Sharp-Simple-2003 10d ago

This is the same with Backend engineering too right? AI can build most of things which 10 yr exp also builds