Routing protocols convey state information between routers, but really that is just table stakes.
So, what do network engineers do?
Classically, Set up and troubleshoot those systems.
Currently, transforming from manual work to building systems to deploy, monitor, and remediate routers and such.
In other words, the same stuff sysadmins->(SRE|PE) folks do and undergoing a similar transition.
Then what about routing protocols such as RIP, OSPF, etc?
Don't forget BGP. I don't think they do what you think they do, at least, not to the extent you think they do them. There is a hell of a lot of manual work in running any sizeable network even within a single organisation.
And what exactly do they do that I don't understand?
> There is a hell of a lot of manual work in running any sizeable network even within a single organisation.
I'm not trying to say they do everything, and no manual work is required. I'm trying to say machines are already doing part of it. OP believes that give a world where machines can code, they can't design or maintain networks, which I find truly ridiculous, since machines are pretty far from doing any kind of "coding" today, but they do networking and network protocols pretty well.
since machines are pretty far from doing any kind of "coding" today
The first attempt at a system to turn plain English that even managers could write into executable code was 1959 - COBOL. So you're right in a sense, even 59 years later - but also wrong if you think networks are any more advanced than this. The Internet really cannot "reshape itself" and probably never will be able to.
RIP and OSPF are interior routing protocols---that is, they're used for routing within an organization (or autonomous system in Internet lingo) and deal with technical routing issues (fastest link, most bandwidth, etc). BGP is for routing between organizations and deals with political issues than technical issues (we need to send all traffic here due to contracts, unless it goes down, then shift traffic over there; and refuse routing information from such-n-such organization because they don't have their act together).
OP was talking about a future where developers become obsolete because machines take over the development sector. Do you think writing protocols will be something humans will do better than machines?
