unknown

Vibe coding, where developers use AI to build entire applications without writing code themselves, is creating a generation of pseudo-developers who lack fundamental programming skills. Research shows AI tools actually decrease productivity by 19% for experienced developers, while security vulnerabilities plague AI-generated code. Junior developers using this approach become dependent on AI for debugging and maintenance, making them less competitive in an already brutal job market where 94,000 tech workers have been laid off. The practice creates massive technical debt and prevents skill development, ultimately harming career prospects rather than helping them.

How AI Vibe Coding Is Destroying Junior Developers' Careers

kt123123123

<blockquote>
Professional developers have identified a cruel irony: vibe coding works best for those who don’t need it. Experienced developers can guide AI tools effectively and catch their mistakes because they already understand the domain deeply.
</blockquote>
I’ve used AI when working on applications that use languages and frameworks I know very little about (e.g., XCode, Swift, React) and those I know a lot about (e.g., PHP, Laravel, JavaScript, Vue).
I wouldn’t say I don’t need it for the latter, as while I can build a reasonable site without AI, having a digital rubber duck to discuss top-level goals and their implementations with is always helpful. However, I did notice some awful syntax hallucinations when building a Laravel seeder with Cursor recently. But for those, such errors are automatically captured by the IDE, so not something I would say is really a threat to a late-stage Junior Dev. Just more of a nuisance.
For the former, however, I would say that there needs to be more caution placed in using the AI. I would use it more like a learning tool with 50% confidence and cross-reference all the concepts with relevant documentation on the topic when I have the time to increase confidence. When dealing with relative unknowns, the traditional practice of hitting the books and talking with actual human experts is always a good confidence boost, but you need the time and money.

So true it also reduces confidence

Like any artist, you need to master your tools manually before you start automating the process. Coding is no difference. Skipping the fundamentals might feel efficient at first, but it sets you up for long-term problems. Over reliance on AI to ‘vibe code’ creates developers who can’t debug or maintain what they’ve built. It also foreshadows a critical truth: AI is a tool, not a replacement. Human intuition, understanding, and oversight, “human in the loop” remains essential.

I had the same feeling after a couple of days with AI powered editor. Instead of faster development, I struggled with a lot of distractions and too many stimuli, which decreased my performance. AI tools are a great option for repetitive tasks or boring things like refactoring blocks of code, but that’s all from my perspective.

As a junior dev, i think that the best approach to IA is use it to learn about what you are programming, i use it this way: start coding on my own, when i feel stuck, ask for ia for guidance, evaluate the response an then continue…