[YZF]

YMMV. The transition is real. Whether you can get rewarded for it is a different question. Sure, in some organizations it doesn't matter, but in others it matters.

There's is a continuum in how well you can perform as a software developer and this is a non-linear phenomena. That said the "title" is definitely often a made up thing.

It's not like politics don't come into play. Politics are always at play. But doing an obviously poor job with great politics won't work in most organizations and you can be a good engineer and still understand the politics and advance your abilities and advance in the organization.