Why Understanding Fundamentals Will Continue to Be Key in 2026

Every year a new framework appears, a new library, a new “correct way” of doing things. Today it’s React, tomorrow it’ll be something else. Today we use AI to write code, tomorrow, who knows.

But underneath all of that, software still works by the same rules as always. Applications continue to have state, data flowing, errors to manage, and users who expect everything to work well. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Next.js, Astro, or something that doesn’t even exist yet: if you don’t understand what’s happening under the hood, you’re programming blind.

Fundamentals are what don’t change even when everything else does.

AI Accelerates, But Doesn’t Think for You

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool. It accelerates, suggests, completes code, and sometimes it feels like magic.

The problem arises when it becomes a replacement for technical judgment. If you don’t understand basic concepts like asynchronicity, state management, data structures, or how a request flows, AI might give you code that “works”… until it stops working. And when that happens, it’s you, not the model, who has to understand the error.

AI doesn’t automatically make you a better developer. It makes you faster. And being fast without fundamentals usually results in expensive bugs.

Frameworks Come and Go, Logic Remains

Learning a framework without understanding the fundamentals is like memorizing a map without knowing how to read coordinates.

It might work… until the route changes. Someone who truly understands JavaScript adapts to any environment. Someone who understands how the browser works, how a UI is rendered, or how systems communicate doesn’t fear change.

In 2026, the differentiator won’t be knowing how to use a specific tool, it’ll be the ability to understand any new tool quickly.

Real Problems Don’t Come With Tutorials

In real projects, there are no numbered steps or perfect examples. There are weird bugs, degrading performance, inconsistent state, and technical decisions that no one explains to you.

This is where fundamentals make the difference. Fundamentals let you reason, not copy. Think, not guess.

A dev with strong fundamentals might not know every technology today, but tomorrow, they’ll understand it. A dev without fundamentals becomes stuck with what they already know.

Learning Fundamentals Isn’t Moving Backward

Many believe returning to fundamentals is “wasting time.” In reality, it’s the opposite. It’s investing in a base that allows you to progress faster and with less frustration.

It’s not about rejecting AI or modern tools. It’s about using them with judgment. Because when you understand what you’re doing, technology stops being scary and starts working in your favor.

Conclusion

In 2026, knowing how to use tools will be common.
Understanding how and why they work,Every year a new framework appears, a new library, a new “correct way” of doing things. Today it’s React, tomorrow it’ll be something else. Today we use AI to write code, tomorrow, who knows.

But underneath all of that, software still works by the same rules as always. Applications continue to have state, data flowing, errors to manage, and users who expect everything to work well. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Next.js, Astro, or something that doesn’t even exist yet: if you don’t understand what’s happening under the hood, you’re programming blind.

Fundamentals are what don’t change even when everything else does.

AI Accelerates, But Doesn’t Think for You

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool. It accelerates, suggests, completes code, and sometimes it feels like magic.

The problem arises when it becomes a replacement for technical judgment. If you don’t understand basic concepts like asynchronicity, state management, data structures, or how a request flows, AI might give you code that “works”… until it stops working. And when that happens, it’s you, not the model, who has to understand the error.

AI doesn’t automatically make you a better developer. It makes you faster. And being fast without fundamentals usually results in expensive bugs.

Frameworks Come and Go, Logic Remains

Learning a framework without understanding the fundamentals is like memorizing a map without knowing how to read coordinates.

It might work… until the route changes. Someone who truly understands JavaScript adapts to any environment. Someone who understands how the browser works, how a UI is rendered, or how systems communicate doesn’t fear change.

In 2026, the differentiator won’t be knowing how to use a specific tool, it’ll be the ability to understand any new tool quickly.

Real Problems Don’t Come With Tutorials

In real projects, there are no numbered steps or perfect examples. There are weird bugs, degrading performance, inconsistent state, and technical decisions that no one explains to you.

This is where fundamentals make the difference. Fundamentals let you reason, not copy. Think, not guess.

A dev with strong fundamentals might not know every technology today, but tomorrow, they’ll understand it. A dev without fundamentals becomes stuck with what they already know.

Learning Fundamentals Isn’t Moving Backward

Many believe returning to fundamentals is “wasting time.” In reality, it’s the opposite. It’s investing in a base that allows you to progress faster and with less frustration.

It’s not about rejecting AI or modern tools. It’s about using them with judgment. Because when you understand what you’re doing, technology stops being scary and starts working in your favor.

Conclusion

In 2026, knowing how to use tools will be common.
Understanding how and why they work, that won’t be.

Fundamentals remain key because they’re the only thing that stays with you throughout your entire career, no matter how fast the ecosystem changes. that won’t be.

Fundamentals remain key because they’re the only thing that stays with you throughout your entire career, no matter how fast the ecosystem changes.