Gluing them is only 1 step.
You still need to write the logic that each layer needs to be useful.
You still need to write the logic that each layer needs to be useful.
However, I suppose somewhat subjectively in reviewing or writing any of this glue or logic layer code using modern web frameworks I've never had the sort of WOW response that I do when I see what the programmers of yore were coming up with.
This doesn't preclude compromising readability for hacks when you need to squeeze performance out of some logic (just look at Tensorflow code), but you'd expect a maturing computational environment and engineering culture to reduce the number of clever hacks needed or present.