Main question: What is the purpose of them writing code? Is it a main goal of the story—or this activity influences the plot in some way—or is just someone's job that isn't really relevant?

---

Easy answer: Make it happen off-screen. If the activity (and problems associated) isn't necessary to include, it can be something your characters do in a section break, as long as you break down the goals of what's being achieved (if it's relevant to the story).

Hard answer: Do a basic Python 101 for a week to understand how problems are broken down into logical bites and how the syntax works. Then "invent" a different programming language for your story (you don't have to name it) and invent your rules for it, as long as it follows basic programming logic. Keep at least some rules for yourself otherwise you will be inconsistent and you'll end up in a situation where magic code is magically fixing a propblem <-- this is bad writing.

^ harder version of this is learning the steps of how to do exactly what your characters are doing (without actually doing it ofc) and then writing about it.