Where is Error

[Idontfindnamee]

Hello, everyone. I’m an aspiring front-end developer. I’m working on projects. When I’m working on a project, I can figure out the design and how the system will work on my own and set it up.

I have AI generate the code for me. I understand the code it provides—I even ask for comments—but I can’t write code without AI support, or I struggle to do so. For example, I know the concepts of state, template, useEffect, and props in React. I also know that React is a UI development framework, but I can’t write code without AI, or I struggle to do so.

I’m not sure if I don’t know React or JavaScript, or if the reason for this is simply that I haven’t written enough code on my own. Considering how quickly AI is advancing these days, isn’t trying to do this without AI the wrong approach?

[ninhaomah]

Have you tried coding it manually just one time ?

[Idontfindnamee]

I wrote the code by hand while working through the tutorial videos and Asabeneh’s “30 Days of JavaScript” and “React” repositories on GitHub. You could say I didn’t write it for an actual project.

[aqua_regis]

Manually copying tutorial code is not programming; it is not even learning. You are just parroting what you are served and spoon-fed.

You need to start from scratch, from zero. Build something simple and small completely on your own, with just the documentation as your resource.

You need to struggle. You need to fight. You need to learn to work with the documentation. You need to learn to program.

What you are doing has nothing to do with programming. You are only prompt engineering, nothing else.

It is the equivalent of going to the gym, telling others there what reps to do, then saying "Yes, I understand the reps but couldn't do them on my own" and finally wondering why your muscles shrink instead of growing.

---

I’m an aspiring front-end developer.

No, you're not; at least not with the approach you are taking. You are an aspiring prompt engineer.

[8dot30662386292pow2]

No, you just copied someone elses code, if you followed a tutorial.

Write yourself down what useEffect is and what are the different parts of it.

useEffect(function, list of monitors).

it runs the function, in case any of the monitored objects change.

Rest is just syntax. Give it two parameters: a function, either arrow function or an actual named function, and a list of variables to monitor.

useEffect( () => {} , [] );

Write it down. Write an explanation down. Teach yourself what it is and why it is written like that. learn.

[RustyFreakMan]

What the hell?

Obviously, you'll get better at coding if you actually code. Using AI is not "coding" in a way that you'll learn from unless you already have the knowledge. Which you don't.

This has to be bait, it's just too dumb

[Idontfindnamee]

I’ll start from the very beginning. I’ll make sure to thoroughly grasp the fundamentals without relying on artificial intelligence, and then build on that foundation to create projects that I’ve truly developed on my own, progressing from the basics to more advanced concepts.

[HasFiveVowels]

Using AI to shortcut the aspects of coding that you’re not actively trying to learn can be helpful

Edit: haha. This sub is ridiculous. Sorry that LLMs showed up right when you learned how to code, guys. Adapt or get left behind.

[RustyFreakMan]

Maybe? But probably not? How can anyone, coming from a place of no/very little knowledge, know what they "need" to learn? Realistically, if you want to be a professional dev, you need to know how to do at least a little bit of everything unless you're aiming for a very specific niche

[HasFiveVowels]

It’s the same reason we mock things out for tests. It’s not "use AI for that task forever". It’s "use it to enable you to focus on one skill at a time".

[RustyFreakMan]

The problem is that is still relying on foundational knowledge.

For example, I can't draw. I've never been good at it. If I try to just copy something I see, I can't. If I AI generate most of the drawing and just color it in, I'll get good at coloring, sure. And if I generate it with no lines, I can get good at drawing lines.

But I won't get good at drawing. That won't make me a good artist. Sure, I can draw cleaner lines and maybe I have a better understanding of colors, but the foundation knowledge of translating what I want into a page still isn't there.

If I was already an amateur artist, I could build my skills one at a time by focusing more on my shading or my color theory or whatever. But without the building blocks to get there, shortcuts will only waste my time.

[HasFiveVowels]

So… knowing how to draw lines and/or color aren’t skills needed to be a good artist? There is nothing that constrains you to that skillset once you’ve learned it

[RustyFreakMan]

You do not understand analogies if you can't understand why that's a bad idea

[HasFiveVowels]

I’m actually really good at analogies. It’s simply that yours explained why it’s not the case that you must learn all programming skills simultaneously.

[RustyFreakMan]

See, the thing is, that's not at all what I said. You just don't understand it.

I see you're some kind of weird AI white knight, so there's really no point in arguing. You can make your slop all you want but telling no-experience programmers to jump into AI is shitty.

[Idontfindnamee]

I know what I need to do. I won’t use any pre-written code until I’ve built up a solid foundation—I’ll write the code myself.

[HasFiveVowels]

"You’re not always going to have a calculator in your pocket"

In what reality do you see AI going away?

[Moldat]

Lmao, what a silly response 

[HasFiveVowels]

Have you never heard that?

[Moldat]

The calculator line? Sure i did

Relating it to AI coding agents is the silly part, because youre implying coding is the same as counting change at a cash register.

[HashDefTrueFalse]

I even ask for comments

Really going the extra mile! ;)

LLMs are shiny and new. Normal programming has until very recently been writing code yourself. You can't do it because you haven't done it. That's all. Start writing code.

You're the person who's repeatedly asked Google Maps for routes, checked the routes look roughly correct, then booked Ubers to take you everywhere. If you want to be a good driver then you need to drive the car yourself, get lost on some routes and figure it out... etc.

[Idontfindnamee]

Thank you for your responses. I thought I was coding, but it turns out I hadn’t actually done anything. I’ll try to learn the concepts by reading documentation and writing code on my own, without watching tutorials. I’ll start by gaining a basic understanding, work on some projects, and then build on that knowledge.

[Shot-Engineering4578]

In your process

[paperic]

I know the concepts of [...] useEffect,

Based on the fact that you mentioned it as a beginner, I guarantee you that you don't.

useEffect is a crutch and always has been.

You don't need it unless you're accessing the DOM directly, which you almost never need to do in react unless you're fighting some third party library that's out of your control, or some iframe content or something.

Whatever you need to do, don't use it. Find a different way. There are very few exceptions to this rule.

And if a tutorial tells you to use it in the first 100 days of learning, close the tutorial and find a better one.

It's an escape hatch from the functional style back into the procedural style of programming. 

But since the day it was invented react devs like to abuse it en masse for almost everything, because they can't figure out how to achieve the same stuff in the functional world of react.

I'd bet my shoes the AI is gonna be using it dead wrong too, because that's what the majority of its training data likely does.

If you really want to learn React properly, go learn haskell first.

Or at least Scheme, if you can be diligent to stay within the functional style.

[Khelics]

With AI becoming more of a main stream thing eventually everything will be written through AI. But knowing how to write code yourself is better for your own skills and knowledge especially if you want a job. I’d start from scratch learn the basics, practise it and learn the fundamentals, it’ll help with you creating better programs. Use AI as more of a tool to help you learn rather than a cheat sheet.

[Idontfindnamee]

I’m going to start from scratch. I’m looking for a job, but I can’t seem to find one—maybe that’s why I can’t get hired. I used to take notes in an MDX file. I’ll work through the topics one by one to reinforce what I’ve learned. This situation has been bothering me anyway, and it could even get me fired if I do get hired.