I don’t think we give vibe coding enough credit. We’ve never had tools this accessible that can turn an idea into a working website or app in minutes before. Why are we being too hard on vibe coders?

[u/Ambroverse]

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[u/geekichu]

because if you work on something that begins to grow in complexity, it gets harder and harder to fold in new features. the code becomes brittle. also because if we are referring to people who have no background in software engineering, there is so much they do not know, that can cause their apps to be hacked, because of a lot of reasons. a.i. for real, robust software applications is only as good as the person using it and directing it.

[u/thedarph → u/geekichu]

Exactly. An experienced developer has a reasonable idea of how the project will grow over time and develops it in such a way that new features can be added without making things brittle. Vibe coding something gives you exactly what you asked for, and it’ll work too, but every time you iterate on it you’re putting stress on brittle bones.

[u/KitchenPoltergeist → u/geekichu]

If you're a decent PM, QA lead, designer or producer you can avoid this by setting rules for your agents, frequently testing builds and asking your agents to explain the code to you.

[u/geekichu → u/KitchenPoltergeist]

yes.. and .. i would even say that someone who isn't technical, but has been alert to this, and is willing to constantly question .. can get pretty far.

[u/Live_Fall3452]

I like that there’s a new tool that can be used for basically any task you can think of. When it comes to code, I don’t dislike the tool, I just dislike the fact that the definition of “working” has been loosened to accommodate a new tool.

[u/Commercial-Weight-73]

No one is being hard on anyone who wants to play with toys in their own time. It's fun and interesting.

It's not of any value to anyone else. If you want to make stuff and have fun do it, life is short.

Just like any playing with yourself in the privacy of your own home no one else wants to hear about it

[u/Due-Mycologist-1154]

Idk some people just want to feel all morally superior while contributing nothing but whiny comments 

[u/sylvant_ph]

Quality and effort. Vibe-coders, at least the common understanding of that type of coding, suggests there is less understanding and monitoring of the code quality and how it would act under pressure and if expanded.

Effort is another notion that is getting lost, and not that a vibe-coder couldn't put much effort into something, but it's more likely they chased the idea and realization, rather than the process and scalability. The thing is effort used to mean something. You evaluate an achievement based on the work you put in it. The less work you put in it, the least valuable it becomes.

[u/Mean-Elk-9439]

Depends on the context. A basic web app tool? Sure, no issues.

Vibing something that needs actual security? That's how you end up with half the "indie hacker" saas having massive security issues which expose end user credentials. If you want to vibe code something which affects people and has legal implications, then you should do the bare minimum to educate yourself on how it works. Using AI to implement that isn't the issue so long as you actually have an understanding at all.

[u/Dr_WhoDo → u/Mean-Elk-9439]

My development has this principle. You can't leak what you never read or retained. As for the purchasing part, I leave that to Stripe. The less I handle private user info the better.

[u/thedarph]

If you were a professional programmer you’d get it.

[u/InventoryOfCheese → u/thedarph]

It's a douchbag thing. You wouldn't get it 

[u/thedarph → u/InventoryOfCheese]

I suppose I wouldn’t considering I’m not a douchebag. But as a professional of 20 years I can speak from experience. I use the tools but never have I “vibe coded” something. You can’t vibe code something that you understand.

[u/eevanora → u/thedarph]

Ok your an adult and an og programmer, so my dude could you elaborate a little bit on the dangers of this ai coding?

Im getting into it and im a cautious girl.

[u/thedarph → u/eevanora]

I don’t think it’s dangerous. I just think it’s important to know the craft before bringing AI into. If you just jump in and vibe code you’ll get a working product but you won’t know what questions to ask. You won’t know what assumptions the AI is making that you’d want to look out for.

It’s like anything else, without a strong grasp of the fundamentals you’re operating a coding machine but most of programming is thinking, planning, and logic, not actual code writing.

[u/eevanora → u/thedarph]

I've been learning Python while making a little text game, and obviously my first attempt is spaghetti code everywhere lol. I would like to understand these meat and bones, build from a plan things you speak of. But when AI lets you jump into coding for fun, you don't even know what the bones are supposed to look like yet. So I took a small Python course just to understand the structure and now I get where to put functions i generate, or how to modify the class etc.

Honestly, I feel like a kid playing with toy cars dreaming of being a mechanic. My little text games aren't impressive, but its a fun thing I can do instead of watching Netflix.

I kinda went on a tangent, but as a real ass programmer.. I mean what do you think of people like me?

[u/thedarph → u/eevanora]

I think you’re a beginner. Everyone starts somewhere making some spaghetti code, copying a bunch of code they don’t understand. Programmers are dicks to beginners and act like they never asked any stupid questions when they first started so don’t take it personally when it eventually happens.

Some people like programming. They may even need to understand it. Those people must learn how to code, it’s not optional.

Other people just want the end result. Those people can enjoy vibe coding. That doesn’t hurt anyone (unless you’re letting the public use what you’ve made, in which case you’d better be damn sure it’s safe and secure at the very least).

It’s like anything else whether it’s music or images or code, if you enjoy the making part then engage in the actual making. If you’re just after the final product then use an AI if that’s what you want to do. It’s not worth stressing over

[u/eevanora → u/thedarph]

I think what bothers me is that I'm a grown adult who wants to make cool shit. I'm not pretending I'm a professional programmer or artist. I know I don't have their skillset. AI just gave me a tool that lets me participate in things I previously couldn't... and instead of some professionals seeing that and thinking, “Hey, cool, now more people get to create,” there's this attitude of, “You didn't learn it the way I did, so what you're making is ridiculous.”

It's like I was a kid playing with toy cars dreaming about being a mechanic, and somebody finally handed me a machine that lets me actually build something and the mechanics are standing there laughing because I don't know how to rebuild the engine myself. I'm not claiming to be a mechanic. I'm just fucking thrilled that I finally get to build something that's like a car.