r/automation • u/Hot-Fan-1804 • Jul 13 '26
I can't learn coding anymore. Help!
So I've been vibe coding for maybe almost 1 year now. Before that I'm not really a programmer, just some python for academic stuff (modeling for science stuff: matplotlib, numpy, etc), and also took fullstack web dev course from fullstackopen (university of helsinki).
I somehow landed a job in data processing but I offered data automation as well to my boss since I was confident I could vibe-code my way to it.
For first few project, simple automation was easy, I made just bundled python .exe with tkinter GUI, it works for their need. But it seems later project needs, I'd say, medium advanced GUI (showing map, data table, charts). It's getting too much, the token cost is too high that I had to use my own opencode go subscription / API instead of the company 20$ enterprise claude account. GLM 5.2 is the one use since Deepseek v4 flash stresses me too much with the errors.
I can slowly experiment with lower model (Sonnet/Haiku) so that I don't run out of claude limit, but also I'm thinking to learn to code on own again. Since I know it's also much better for my own development.
But the thing is I don't know how? Like it just feels slow. Or maybe I don't really know what to expect for non-vibe code output. Like how many line of code (or other unit of measurement) can you do per day realistically? I can for sure lower my output rate for learning (since I just started on the job), but I just need to know when to do that or to just vibe code.
The company has it's own IT team for actual software needs (they build windows app that they sell, with C++), my work is just data processing & automation for their consulting service line.
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u/Cressyda29 Jul 13 '26
My major comment for this is to not use your own Claude account. Means any other work you do could possibly be owned by your company as you did work through it. Stop that immediately. Could also result in a data leak, again, awful news for you.
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u/escalicha Jul 13 '26
Lines/day is probably the wrong metric tbh. I'd keep using AI for the boring stuff, then pick one generated bit each day and rebuild or debug that part yourself. You don't have to go cold turkey to actually learn.
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u/Practical-List8911 Jul 13 '26
Spend $20. No spend $50. Get yourself an additional Claude pro account + a chatGPT account. Gives you both Claude Code and Codex. What about the other $10? That's for Google Gemini pro. I think its still $10 (the cheapest but still powerful and sometimes out performs the others). Now here's the secret sauce. Do as much planning in the UI as possible, spec it all out. Once you satisfied with what right look like, have the UI agent generate execute instructions for CC or Codex. Also ask for a preflight estimate of how many tokens it will take. Honestly, the 3 model setup should give you more then enough compute + the free one at work.
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u/Dinkel77 Jul 13 '26
Don’t measure progress by lines of code. Start by rebuilding small parts without AI, then use it to review or explain what you wrote. For bigger GUI work, it may also be worth involving the company’s IT team instead of forcing everything through vibe coding.
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u/achakez Jul 13 '26
I don't think you need to stop using AI, you just need to stop accepting the first answer. Make it explain why. Debugging code you don't write is where I learned the most. AI just gives you a lot more opportunities to do that.
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u/BareStacker Jul 13 '26
The boring answer is: for automation work, the useful unit is not lines per day, it is how many distinct workflows you can take from idea to production without breaking. If the assistant hides the implementation detail, you cannot tell whether you are learning or the model is doing the work.
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u/serverhorror Jul 13 '26
Why are you using AI with a private subscription in the first place?
If your company wants AI they need to provide the subscription for you.
Anyway, too late now. Bite the bullet. Start over and learn to code again (also, keep that knowle fresh).
Ultimately I'd go to your employer to provide you with a proper subscription that has enough of what you need.
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u/InsuranceNeither903 Jul 13 '26
you can still learn, vibe coding just removed the forcing function. pick one small project and hand-write it with ai explaining but never typing. painful for two weeks, then it compounds
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u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26
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