AI Coding vs Hand Coding: 5 Truths Every Developer Should Know

AI Coding vs Hand Coding: Does It Even Matter?

Recently, someone dropped a comment on my TikTok saying my Raphael app was “vibe coded.”

Translation:

“AI did all the work.”

And judging by the tone… that wasn’t meant as a compliment.

🍖 Let’s Talk About the Cook

I’ve been programming since 1985.
We’re talking Clarion on a Commodore 64—back when loading a program felt like waiting for brisket to come up to temp.

From there:

Visual Basic
DAO / ADO
PHP / MySQL
And now Java (because “write once, run everywhere” is basically the pellet grill of programming)

Lately I’ve even been dabbling in Go—fast, efficient, and kind of like switching from charcoal to propane just to see what happens.

So no… I didn’t just wander into coding last week with ChatGPT and a dream.

🔥 Leonardo: The Original Recipe (Hand-Rubbed)

My first app in this family was Leonardo.

I built it completely by hand to convert video formats for DaVinci Resolve on Linux.

No AI.
No shortcuts.
Just me, Java, and a lot of trial-and-error—like figuring out your first smoker.

Versions 1–9?
All hand-coded.

Version 10?

Alright… now we added some seasoning:

AI helped generate some FFmpeg command strings
I added features like status bars and more formats

But the core?

Still mine. Still handcrafted.

🍗 Domenico: The Side Dish That Stole the Show

Then came Domenico.

Problem: GitHub READMEs are static.
Solution: Add motion.

GitHub won’t show MP4s—but it will show GIFs.

So I built a tool to convert short videos into GIFs using FFmpeg.

Did AI help with the conversion string?

Yep.

Did it build the app?

Nope.

That’s like buying a spice mix but still cooking the whole meal yourself.

🥩 Raphael: When You Need to Feed a Crowd

Now we get to Raphael.

This one was personal.

I needed to build a memorial slideshow with 124 photos (after trimming down from 350 😅).

Tried doing it manually in DaVinci Resolve…

…and that felt like flipping 124 burgers one at a time for a family reunion.

So I asked ChatGPT:

“Is there a better way?”

Answer: FFmpeg can do it all—timing, fades, music.

So I built Raphael.

This time?

I moved faster
I leaned on AI more
I reused structure from Leonardo

Result?

A tool that works—and saved me hours.

That’s not cheating.

That’s using a thermometer instead of guessing if the meat’s done.

🤖 So… Is It AI?

Short answer:

Yes. And no.

Core architecture → mine
UI design → mine
Problem solving → mine
Some command generation → AI assist

That’s not “vibe coding.”

That’s a hybrid workflow.

🌭 The One Fully AI Experiment

Now—full transparency.

I did build one app completely with AI: CMETracker.

It works great.

But…

It doesn’t quite feel like my other apps.

Kind of like ribs cooked in the oven:

Technically correct
Gets the job done
But missing a little soul

🔥 Will AI Replace Programmers?

I don’t think so.

AI is great at:

Reusing patterns
Speeding things up
Catching mistakes

But it struggles with:

True innovation
Context
Knowing when something just feels off

Case in point—I recently had AI argue with me that Linux Kernel 7.0 wasn’t released… until I showed it proof 😄

So yeah—it’s not infallible.

❓ FAQ

Q: What is AI coding?
AI coding refers to using tools like ChatGPT to generate or assist in writing code.

Q: Is AI coding better than hand coding?
AI coding is faster, but hand coding provides deeper control and understanding. Most developers use a hybrid approach.

Q: Will AI replace programmers?
No. AI is a tool that helps developers work faster, but it lacks true creativity and decision-making.

Q: What is hybrid coding?
Hybrid coding combines manual programming with AI assistance for efficiency and productivity.

🍽️ Final Take

Using AI in development is like using:

A pellet grill
A meat thermometer
A good marinade

It doesn’t make you less of a cook.

It just means you’re cooking smarter.

💬 Your Turn

So let me ask you:

👉 Would you use an app built with AI assistance?
👉 Does it matter how it was made if it works well?

Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your take.

🔥 Is It Vibe Coding… Hand Coding… or Low-and-Slow Hybrid BBQ?