Hi, I am a computer nerd. I also took a computer programming class and got the highest score in the class, but I never followed up with advanced classes. Recently, I've thought of different ideas for software I'd like to try to create. I've heard about vibe coding. I know real programmers make fun of it, but I also have heard so much about it and people using it and paying for it that I have a hard time believing it writes garbage code all the time.
However, whenever I am trying to do things in linux and don't know how and ask an LLM, it gets it wrong like 85% of the time. Sometimes it helps, but a lot of times it's fucking stupid and just leads me down a rabbit hole of shit that won't work. Is all vibe coding actually like that too or does some of it actually work?
For example, I know how to set up a server, ssh in, and get some stuff running. I have an idea for an App and since everyone uses smart phones (unfortunately), I'd probably try to code something for a smart phone. But would it be next to impossible for someone like me to learn? I like nerdy stuff, but I am not experienced at all in coding.
I also am not sure I have the dedication to do hours and hours of code, despite possible autism, unless I were highly fucked up, possibly on huge amounts of caffeine or microdosing something. But like, it doesn't seem impossible.
Is this a rabbit hole worth falling into? Do most Apps just fail all the time? Is making an App nowadays like trying to win a lotto?
It would be cool to hear from real App developers. I am getting laid off, my expenses are low because I barely made anything at my job, I'll be getting unemployment, and I am hoping I can get a job working 20-30 hours a week and pay for my living expenses, which are pretty low.
Is this a stupid idea? I did well in school, but I'm not sure that means anything. Also, when I was in the programming class, the TA seemed much, much smarter at programming and could intuitively solve coding problems much faster due to likely a higher IQ. I'm honestly not sure my IQ is high enough to code. My IQ is probably around 112, but I also sometimes did better than everyone on tests for some reason, maybe because I'm a nerd. I'm not sure I will have the insight to tackle hard coding problems, but I'm not sure if those actually occur in real coding.
It's all like that.
How bad that is - for you - depends on your patience and your learning style.
When I use it, my experience usually lets me recognize the mistakes and correct them quickly. So it's just a lazy convenience. Most of the time.
I've had it make subtle mistakes that cost me significant amounts of time to cleanup after letting the vibe code run for a few minutes.
I'm aware that particular mistake cost me more time that vibe coding has ever saved me.
I don't mind, because my employer is excited about AI right now, and I get paid for my time, and I don't work unpaid overtime.
So - to your implied questions:
Yes. It will get better. But today, it is worse than most people think. Obvious problems are easily fixed. Subtle problems are being released daily all over the Internet to combine to cause headaches later.
Of course! You'll learn something and it might do a good enough job for what you need. If you stick with it, you'll learn enough to do what you need.
Absolutely not. If you need to succeed, and had to pick one, learn to code.
But you don't have to pick just one approach. And it's probably impossible to vibe code for long without learning to actually code. Vibe coding is a path toward aware knowledgeable coding. It's not the only path. It's not the best path. But it's still a path. And you can pursue more than one path.
So I say, Dive in! You'll be complaining with the rest of us, soon! Maybe together we will make it a bit better.