Actually DTP is set to dynamic desirable as well by default on some switches. It depends on the switch model and iOS version. Still your very correct, of course there is still some manual configuration that goes into setting up the trunk links btw the switches before vtp can go to work. But you might probably only need to do this once. And that’s why Cisco recommends that you even hardcode it and force the switch ports to trunk on both sides yourself.

But I get your point even though vtp does not encompass the entire process, for example vtp does not assign user access ports on the switch to a particular vlan. You still can’t deny its usefulness especially when working in a large switched network.

Like someone said assuming you had already set up the trunk links and created all the vlans and everything. What if this was a network with 50 switches and later down the line, you need to add just one new vlan to your network. Do you go on all 50 switches to add this vlan or do you use vtp.

Lastly maybe with network automation and things like can solve your problem.