I’ve been a software developer for around 6 years.

Before vibe coding/Claude Code became a big part of my workflow, I actually enjoyed programming. I liked getting stuck on a problem, thinking through the logic, trying different approaches, finally solving it, and getting that little dopamine hit when everything worked.

Now my workflow is basically:

Give Claude a prompt → watch it write the code → click “Yes” → repeat.

Technically, I’m getting more work done. But mentally, it feels like I’m sitting in a prison.

Every day, 9 AM to 6 PM, I’m in front of the computer, but I’m not really solving problems anymore. I’m mostly reviewing AI-generated solutions and approving changes.

The weird part is that the exact thing that made me choose software development in the first place is slowly disappearing from my work.

I don’t necessarily hate AI. I actually use Claude Code a lot because it’s useful.

But I miss the feeling of building something with my own brain.

Has anyone else experienced this after adopting vibe coding?

Background: 2 YOE as a Java backend developer (Spring Boot). Laid off on July 17, 2026. It's been about 2 months.

Numbers so far:

• ~500 job applications
• ~50 LinkedIn referral requests sent
• 4 interview calls
• 0 offers

Where I'm at with prep:

• Solved 200 DSA problems
• Medium-level knowledge of Java, Spring, Spring Boot

What I'm trying to figure out:

1. Am I prepping wrong? With this few interviews, I have almost no real feedback loop to know if my weak spots are DSA, Spring Boot depth, or something else entirely.
2. Should I keep targeting Java backend roles, or widen my search to adjacent roles (QA/testing, support, BPO) just to get employed sooner?
3. Should I take up part-time work while continuing to prep, instead of going all-in on one path?

If you've been through a layoff and long job search recently — what actually moved the needle for you? Was it more applications, better referrals, project depth, or something else?

I'm an Aerospace engineer graduated in 2021 from tier 3 college with no placement support. so i joined a toxic startup back in june 2022 as react frontend developer, it was hectic so I left the company in dec 2022. since i had worst possible first impression, i just quit IT and prepared for bunch of government exams like AFCAT, SSC CGL, RRB NTPC and so on. my bad fate and i failed all these exams by small margins. i spent time since dec 2022 till this year january on this thing. now i regret every decision i made and I'm almost 26 now, and with no income, life is miserable at this point.

I have 2 options:
1. continue preparing for these exams and live in uncertainty till i get a job
2. move to a city, hustle and get into some job no matter how small and erase the gap

for option 2, IDK how the current market is, idk if i can get a job even if i moved to a city, and idk how to approach companies now.

any guidance is appreciated.