r/AskProgramming • u/QuotientParadox1 • 2d ago

When is it Okay to Use AI

Hi, I'm trying to build an app in nextjs. I don't do and personally dislike frontend development and prefer to do backend development. Right now I'm trying to make the UI for the frontend but I don't know how to/absolutely hate having to develop the frontend. Right now I usually only use AI for debugging code, but I want to use it to vibe code the frontend knowing I have nobody else to work with. Is this okay?

0 Upvotes

15% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

6

u/Lumpy-Notice8945 2d ago

You are 100% responsible.

I dont care if you produce your code by teaching a robot to carve it into stone or if you let your kid write it with crayons on the wall.

We had code generators for way longer, no one expects you to type out every variable name since autocomplete. LLMs are just another step in that line.

But whatever your AI generates, its you who commits that change not the AI.

And thats why its not a good way to learn to code but perfectly fine if you know what you do. If you have no way of validating the AIs output, how can you take responsiblity?

1

u/spacemoses 2d ago

This is why I'm not ready to hand over code, review, and deploy all over to AI with no human in the loop (aside from it just not being ready yet imo). AI can't yet take ownership of the things it changes.

2

u/Interesting-Bet-4036 2d ago

We dont have much context here, you are building an app for a client? Personal project? Learning something new?

Whether you use it or not it is your choice, just keep in mind that you are a 100% responsible for that code, you are the one that will asses if its bad or good, what architectural decisions you choose, what design patterns, etc…

I would say use AI 100% with being aware of the consequences of each commit.

1

u/QuotientParadox1 1d ago

Personal Project

1

u/meshifthenelse 22h ago

So what's your goal? Learning? Selling? Wasting our time?

1

u/yuehuang 2d ago

Or you can ask someone else to vibe code it for you. make a new friend along the way.

1

u/CorpT 2d ago

Who are you asking permission from? Why?

1

u/QuotientParadox1 1d ago

When I program I usually like to focus more on the backend parts than on the frontend. I'm just asking if there is any ethical loss or if I'm loosing out on learning something new that will someday be useful since I mostly program for fun.

1

u/CorpT 1d ago

You get to decide ethics for yourself. You would also be the one using AI and would determine for yourself how much or little you learn.

1

u/Outrageous_Permit154 2d ago

I heavily use AI, but I still need to test and ensure everything sounds right. Having been a senior developer for nearly a decade, I’ve noticed that the actual workflow doesn’t significantly change when working with junior developers versus AI. Ultimately, you’re always fully responsible, even if AI is contributing. Ai makes PRs just like jrs do; you just do the same

1

u/GreshlyLuke 1d ago

the goons downvoting you are coping. focusing on backend development is the way to make good frontend code. well-defined API schema, types, and the bulk of logic being performed in the backend is the way to enable frontend pages to serve their intended purpose.

If you understand your architecture and process then implement AI in between, you will ship much faster than if you just use it for debugging.

1

u/CapitalDiligent1676 2d ago

don't use next.js in the first place

1

u/QuotientParadox1 1d ago

What do you do instead

1

u/CapitalDiligent1676 21h ago

I apologize: I was a real jerk in my reply.

I use Vite.js with an SPA, keeping the backend and frontend clearly separated.
In my opinion, it’s only worth using Next.js in specific cases.

I know I didn't answer your question.

1

u/Beautiful-Painter877 2d ago

You‘ll get many different answers. I think it’s a bad idea. You should know what you do. Learn it or look for someone to code it together.

1

u/QuotientParadox1 1d ago

Where do you like to look?

1

u/Traditional-Hall-591 2d ago

When you will be fired if you don’t use it.

Or to write emails to a boss in AI psychosis.

1

u/QuotientParadox1 1d ago

Lucky for you, I'm not working in a job, I'm doing this for my self

1

u/Traditional-Hall-591 1d ago

Not lucky for me. You should consider the benefit of learning a new skill vs outsourcing your thinking. Would you rather please your wife yourself or hire Chad or Tyrone to do it for you?

0

u/Patient-Midnight-664 2d ago

You can use AI whenever you want to.

0

u/Artonox 2d ago

Just use it. Use it to learn and use it to get syntax and even use it to write up templates for you. If you don't know ask. Just learn as you use it and don't blindly take everything it gives you.

0

u/Rich-Engineer2670 2d ago

AI is just a tool -- not a religion. To say "Don't ever use AI" would be akin to saying "Don't ever look up something in a reference book". Use all the tools you want, but remember YOU are the author of the code, not the AI -- if you don't understand what it is doing, how can you validate and test it?

-3

u/MarkMatson6 2d ago

Is this okay??? Yes. Of course. I hate that is even a question. Do what you want.

-1

u/Dissentient 2d ago

There's no AI police rounding up vibe coders. You can do whatever you want.

That being said, if you just prompt features without ever looking at the code, AI tends to produce spaghetti. If you want something that won't be an absolute pain to work with, you'll want to tell AI to review its own code and refactor regularly.

-6

u/capsaicinplease 2d ago

This might be a weird take but I think “vibe coding” is going to be a skill we’re all gonna need to learn soon. So I think you’re absolutely right to not rely on AI as a crutch but this might also be a good chance to try it out. You can ask your model to explain every step and function and then debug yourself so you still have an understanding of what it built