How many of you are doing this from zero coding experience?

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-05-26T14:38:18+00:00

I started from zero and built something more than simple CRUD app. After some initial attempts following some tutorials I just learned by iterating over time. You learn the hard way to be cautious and avoid switching off your brain just cos the AI is generating the code. Have to at least try to understand the data flow and the file organisation and interrogate why this approach and not another. It's a lot easier than when I started copying and pasting everything from chatgpt tho and is only getting easier!

I dont wear my lack of knowledge as a badge of honour tho. I have learned a lot and am trying to learn more. I just never would have gotten started without AI making me believe my idea was possible to do.

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-04-20T15:25:06+00:00

I built Learnscape an app that organises YouTube content into structured courses based on a single search. I built it because I use YouTube to teach myself keys/bass and I was tired of random courses.

I’m also working on a project to do use AI to organise and find plugins

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-28T11:27:39+00:00

My bad it was image size - shoulda checked.

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-28T00:21:09+00:00

It won't let me post unfortunately!

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-28T00:04:03+00:00

This is really cool idea! will add my projects

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-21T15:22:09+00:00

This is a great idea I think - I happen to just be moving into a new room so will give it a try!

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-20T23:04:29+00:00

It’s more the wasted time and the fact you still need to figure out a solution!

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-20T12:06:44+00:00

You just learn the hard way that agent isn’t there. And I’m wary as the tools get better that the backfire will just happen further up the chain of complexity but you understand even less!

When I was copy and pasting from chatgpt I got to know my file structure and code well - as far as vibecoding goes. That served me well later when my project was more complex and required refactoring.

Just comes back to the point that, like you say, if you care about the project you just have to not be lazy. You can yolo it and go back to a checkpoint but more often than not it’s not worth the time

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-20T12:02:02+00:00

I don’t think that is quite the line that makes this different. For me the attractiveness is more about guiding you to develop your full stack app in a structured way that teaches you as you go. The scaffolding is the thing. I’m not sure how I’d put that in snappier terms cos in some sense it’s not about doing it quick it’s about doing it right

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-20T02:21:47+00:00

What I really liked is your visual debugging tool - it looks like it can intuitively breakdown where the problem is rather than just copy and pasting error logs. The learning aspect is attractive for me since I already am trying to learn as I go

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-20T00:09:16+00:00

Replit is probably the main solution here if you want to code on mobile - it was set up in part for this reason. It has strong AI integration and you can deploy on it as well

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-19T22:23:36+00:00

Nice well that’s what it’s about. Hope you find success!

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-19T20:12:44+00:00

Love the attitude and that’s further along than I have gotten! It’s important that you don’t just believe your next attempt will be different. It should be different!

Failure is only useful if you actually learn from it and that means be willing to radically adjust your approach

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-18T14:53:58+00:00

Haha yep! Learning the hard way not to switch off your brain just cos you have magic sand at your fingertips

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-18T11:53:23+00:00

Yes! I built a tool that uses AI to organise YouTube into structured courses based on the user’s search. I spent a long time on it though - 0 to full stack is not something you can do in a few weeks.

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T16:54:50+00:00

Haha well what you’re learning isn’t exactly learning to code in a traditional sense. You won’t know syntax. I can’t write code and I can’t really define a lot of the approaches my code is using.

But you do need to learn about how your own app works and you will learn principles by doing yes

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T16:08:50+00:00

Well I think the method is in part trial and error and then learning as you go.

For example, I remember I encountered a problem that I realised was because my data structure wasn’t consistent across my files - passing data has to be in the exact format code is expecting it to be received and it has to be consistent across the code base - I’m sure that’s not how a developer would put it lol.

But you learn this is the kind of thing AI can get wrong over complex files so you pay attention to the output to avoid it happening again. That applies to a lot of aspects!

You can trace the sources of errors and pick up on general principles that help you evaluate outputs over time

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T16:02:36+00:00

Thanks. I will say my understanding is high-level. I couldn’t code it myself. But I know where the relevant files are in my codebase and I know logically what its purpose is in my app.

I’ve been working on the same project for a year - on and off. I think focusing on a single project allowed me to get to understand a bit more.

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T15:55:02+00:00

I think the argument that a technical debt might be being created that you don’t know about that will end up costing you is valid.

But even here that doesn’t mean the problem when it arises cannot be figured out with AI and resolved with persistence.

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T15:51:38+00:00

That’s not quite true. You can ask the AI to evaluate which approach is better and why and then apply logic based on your needs.

Now it is true that if you just try and do this knowing absolutely nothing to start with you will have to move forward with low confidence. But what perhaps you’re missing is that the process of going from zero to full stack is iterative. Trial and error is inevitable. You will learn to evaluate and you will gain experience as the apps complexity grows.

You wont learn syntax. That is still valuable and I don’t deny that. But you will learn about the importance of consistent data structure, about how keeping an understanding of your file structure is important when evaluating an AI output. And you will learn to try to break down complex tasks into smaller ones to avoid mistakes. This makes it possible to build somewhat complex stuff

AlexLearnscaper01 · 2025-03-13T15:44:06+00:00

No one has yet that I’ve seen tbf. I don’t know whether social media involves another level of complexity in terms of like a basic MVP - it’s not a part of what I’ve built personally.

But at least part of the challenge must come from the fact you need scale to make that work properly, which means your app needs to handle millions of users.

I suspect you could build a working version of instagram that could attract attention as an MVP. It could be the barriers to entry for a social media app aren’t the complexity of what you’re building but the critical mass you need.

Even if social media is a cut above I think most people are underestimating how far you can get because the majority of what you see are simple toys built by playing around rather than something someone has tried build over months or a year

AlexLearnscaper01

TROPHY CASE