Can programmers be called code authors?
Can programmers be called code authors or any other term similar in meaning to a book author?
As a programmer myself, I say "why the hell not?" — But I guess that's biased?
However, Merriam-Webster does seem to agree with me as it defines 'author' as: "one that originates or creates" and cites software authors as an example.
So in both my opinion and the accepted definition of the word author, yes, a programmer can be considered an author.
Yes, but it must be used judiciously and rarely to avoid sounding pretentious.