Programmers and problems come in a bunch of varieties. Some programmers only need to solve a small subset of problems, so understandably their skill set doesn't

Programmers and problems come in a bunch of varieties. Some programmers only need to solve a small subset of problems, so understandably their skill set doesn't need to be particularly broad. It's ok to be capable in a niche area if that brings value to you or your organization. Largely though, programming does come down to problem solving. The best programmers have an eye for detail that can see below the surface of a system. When someone says "we need feature X because Y", they take a Socratic stance and ask "Why do they believe X will solve Y? Why is there a Y? Is there also a Z or a W to consider?" These aren't necessarily coding questions, they're engineering and process questions. Anyone with some familiarity with a system and the tools can add feature X, but the best developers will think about the precursors and implications of X first in hopes of improving the system as a whole.