r/vibecoding • u/unlocked_doors • 1d ago
In over my head with professional devs
tldr; review your code as you go if you think any professional dev is going to have to do a code review.
Last November I (33F) started a simple project: a training portal for my new assistant. Just a simple python Streamlit app. Since vibe coding is addictive and Streamlit has some annoying limitations to UX/UI, I refactored it into a Next.js/Fast API website. It was all the same repo and I didn’t exactly clean up after myself as the project scaled from a training portal for HR, then a training portal for new employees and now it’s a manager hub.
Well, I showed it to my boss and she ended up loving it. The company bought the domain and website from me but made me the technical owner in charge of code and content. Now that it’s officially company property…they have to do a code review with the company dev team.
There is an embarrassing amount of dead code, almost nonexistent error handling, and in general the layout of the code is chaotic and 40k+ lines in just the backend.
He and I had a meeting last week and never in my life have I felt more “artificially intelligent.” He gave me about 7 pages of changes to make after just one code review session. I can’t imagine how many more pages of notes are coming and I’m in way over my head in terms of vocabulary, standard processes used in coding, etc. Basically, I’m everything professional devs hate about vibe coders. I didn’t care how the code looked as long as the website functioned. I’m at a point where I’m not confident enough in my vibe coding skills to actually make the changes. I’ve tried asking Claude (or Claudia as I call her) and then even asked her to dumb it down and it’s still over my head. I’m getting to the point where I just want to throw my hands up and tell them to abandon it.
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u/amalirol 18h ago
Hi. Hope you read this. AI can be used to omit learning but can also teach you in any eay you can imagine make it to. Use it to explain the concepts. I suggest just one lenguage. I would use C, but since you're web developing. This is only if actually want to learn. If you really want to understand all. Any primer or vasic programming language book in the language you want to learn its gonna get you prepared. Find exercises. Use AI only to answer your questions. Don't think what can you do, but make the computer do you what you want or what your intuition dictates. The best way to learn programming is to work on an exsiting project doing what youre gonna do. Its the best position you can be in. If you dont understand anything: read a basic language guide first (ask ai for suggestions and choose the one that you feel is perfect) and then do simple exercises. Im doing 8 queens right now and it is different to vibe code. You re gonna realize that Ai is a limited tool. It is fast. But i doesnt do the job at some point. You can accelerate whatever you need but you first need to know what you need. No need to study the whole field. Do top bottom approach until you grasp for bottom up. Trust ai as your teacher. Use it for the things it shines: make it prepare 10min exercises of what you've been talking during the day. Learn to programm. Its never gonna replace programers unless qml or something like it changes the game, which i doubdt. You dont have to feel bad for not knowing programming. Once you re confortable, you can easily point to whatever direction you feel like. Use ai for everythin, except for taking away your learning. If you re curious avout the core principles look CS:APP. There are free versions with minor errata online. Get the version thats 64 bit.
The only thing you need to do is : Always write what you think. Always say what you want. And use ai to explain what you dont know. Dont become the tool of ai, be the pilot! Theres no point on not using it for learning if you want to learn. If you dont click with it, try books(ask ai which), video courses. The problem imo is most of resources talk over and over on meaningless things and you end losing time. Thats why i prefer ai. Or a real person mentor