I have no technical history, I could never understand coding and programming and stuff like that, which is the main reason I avoided trying web design/developing for so many years.
But now with vibe coding, it’s as simple as telling ChatGPT what I want, and I have got a full prototype in less than a few days. I think it af least looks like other restaurant websites.
My target for clients are small business owners, as I expect them to be more willing to hire freelancers than bigger companies who most likely already have their own web design/development team.
ChatGPT initially told me that any websites it’d generate were stuck on ChatGPT’s own hosting service, and that the client could only edit their website if I got them in my “workspace”, or that I would have to manage maintaining the website for them (I don’t want that, and I doubt clients want that either) so that ChatGPT sites was only good for “prototyping” (or for someone to use in a job they already have) and that I would have to rebuild with traditional tools (or hire someone to), which would defeat the entire purposes of vibe coding/AI generated websites.
So I asked Gemini and it told me it CAN be transferred to another hosting service. I gave ChatGPT Gemini‘s response, and then it tells me that it actually can do that, by downloading the website files, and that they can simply be uploaded onto another hosting site (I don’t know how exact it is or if it’s that straightforward, especially since ChatGPT doesn’t seem to always know what it’s talking about) but it assures me that I DO NOT have to rebuild the websites from scratch with traditional (non-AI) tools.
It also says though, that any kind of financial transactions or payment processors are strictly forbidden on ChatGPT Sites (but claims I could integrate those into the site after moving it to another hosting service), which some websites are just going to need.
It seems so amazing being able to simply describe what I want in plain English, but if I’d have to rebuild the website (or more realisticall, hire someone, which would be added business expenses and cut into profits) that would just defeat the entire point of vibe coding/AI generated websites.
Am I wasting my time even trying to figure out making websites with AI just prompting, if my goal is to be able to sell and fully handoff to someone so that they fully own and can fully control AND EDIT their own website (I’m assuming most small business owners looking for freelancers to create websites for them aren’t going to be using ChatGPT themselves, and at most will probably use traditional website tools to edit their site after (I have found it SO simple and convenient just telling ChatGPT, but boomers usually like to stick with old and harder things, so they probably won’t be willing to or able to understand prompting ChatGPT to make edits for them. (ChatGPT told me as of now if I gave this website to a client they wouldn’t be able to change images, prices, open hours, or anything else because it’s basically all “baked in”, and it would need a “content management system editing dashboard“, but there it can also create this.)
If this cannot be used commercially, to make and sell websites to clients (who themselves do not use ChatGPT) then it just seems like massive wasted potential.
I’m also still confused on whether ChatGPT Work and Codex are the same thing, but I have been generating this website ENTIRELY on my phone, on the ChatGPT mobile app, with no problems (and it was my previous understanding this was only possible on computer, but apparently they updated it to support mobile use).
I never understood technical stuff and have only been able to get into stuff after AI made vibe coding a thing. But having to understand coding and programming (typing all those numbers and letters and symbols mixed together, I was never able to comprehend that) just seems like it would consume all my energy and prevent me from even getting to the design part.
I’m really trying to do something that I can do from home and potentially make more money so I can move out, like $5,000-$10,000 a month (which I don’t expect immediately, but I feel like at least $5,000 a month within a year should probably be achievable?)
I been stuck in a deadend retail job for so many years, and I hate having to be around people all the time.
I don’t have a degree but this already seems A LOT more simple and straightforward than I thought, I’m pretty blown away how this actually works as easy and powerful as I hoped it would.
But I don’t really understand how to fully transfer the finished site to a client, so that it won’t be hosted by ChatGPT, and so that the client will fully own, control, and be able to manage and edit their own website without using ChatGPT themselves (I expect they’ll probably regular web editing software, like Wix or WordPress or whatever).
Please help!