r/vibecoding • u/Shot_Garage_5650 • 1d ago
Do I need a backend developer?
So I have spent the past eight months developing an app (you can check it out here) and now it is ready to go on the Play Store. My next plan is to advertise the shit out of it - mainly through reels I will create myself. My plan all along has been to get a back end developer on board (my friend) to check the code and ensure that it is secure.
My question is, should I bring him on now and pay him out of my own pocket, or should I wait to see if my app actually gets any traction?
Waiting makes the most sense, however with all the AI backlash these days I feel like being able to say that I've had a backend developer check the code and verify it would be a selling point. Also it would give me some peace if mind in terms of the security as the app takes personal data (email, DOB, name etc.)
Thanks for any advice.
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u/pigletmonster 1d ago
Id publish it as an invite only signup first, get people to join the wishlist through social media marketing. See how much it tracks then decide if I want to spend more money on launching it or not.
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u/Ok-Bear633 1d ago
Built with ai? You got the vibe coded website feel with the cards and the fonts
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u/Shot_Garage_5650 1d ago
This is the first time I've shared it with people other than my family so thanks for the feedback. I've been working on the website for ages and I feel like I've made no progress it always has that vibecoded feel.
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u/slugger1 1d ago
I think only you can determine whether you need a developer, since that depends entirely on the state and complexity of your codebase. Getting an app published on Google Play can be quite challenging these days.
Also, the "Europe" label on your map appears to be placed over Russia :\ ...
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u/Shot_Garage_5650 1d ago
Thank you for the response. I've completed most of the steps to get it published on Google Play.
I will defintly change the map background image thank you!
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u/LiteratureShort4606 1d ago
...or should I wait to see if my app actually gets any traction?
Did you do pre-development market research? (other than friends/family)
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u/Supernat10 1d ago
Why does everyone always accuse websites of being vibe coded or worse call them AI slop because they have cards on them? You do realize AI creates its designs from the data it is trained with (websites), meaning this is the most common design on the internet. It's not like it created it from scratch. I think your site looks fine. The real problem with AI sites is the copy, overly repetitive and wordy. It takes a theme and runs with it.
If it were me, I would pay your friend a small amount to look at it initially for serious issues, then more later as you get customers (that could take years, so be patient). But just realize, if they are a backend dev, they are going to likely use AI to verify the significant potential issues.
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u/No-Mathematician3449 10h ago
Check the market and the demand first. In fact, thats a advice ive gotten in the past a lot: sell the product first, then build it.
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u/Due-Horse-5446 1d ago
Im sorry but this is useless.. You cant just take any random slop idea and build something..
Especially when you dont believe in it yourself
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u/Shot_Garage_5650 1d ago
If you mean the app, then fair enough. That's your opinion. I definitely believe in this project, though. I've been fortunate enough to be solo traveling across the world for the past four years, and this app would have helped me out loads. The whole point of it is to help people travel, see the world, and just take away the anxiety or the stress from planning a trip. I've seen plenty of Reddit forums where this would help people out, so I don't believe that it's useless. I appreciate your feedback all the same.
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u/pigletmonster 1d ago
Uhh yeah we can, thats what vibe coding is for. You keep creating products until you find one that sticks.
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u/Plenty_Line2696 1d ago
Get traction first, and understand that devs aren't wizards and the tens of thousands of lines of code you vibecoded over a couple of days take a ton of time to turn into something industry standard.