Let's be honest.
You open ChatGPT. You write:
- Make me a REST API on Express with authorization through JWT
You get 80 lines of code. You insert it into the project. It works. You feel like a 10x developer. You close the task in 20 minutes instead of two hours.
And now the question: if tomorrow AI is turned off, will you write this code yourself?
If something inside you twitched, this article is for you.
😵💫 "I already know everything (as long as there is the Internet)" syndrome
Here's a typical day for a developer now:
Morning. Opened Jira, took the task. Opened Claude/ChatGPT. Described the task. Got the code. Fixed a couple of lines. Committed. Profit.
Lunch. A colleague asks: "Why did you choose this approach?" You: "Well... it's best practice... probably..."
Evening. The code broke in production. You go to the AI again: "Why doesn't my code work?" And he explains to you... your code.
Sound familiar? Congratulations, you didn't become the best developer. You became the best prompt engineerAnd this, to put it mildly, is not the same thing.
🎭 The illusion of productivity
AI gives you an amazing sense of speed. You close more tasks. The manager is happy. The sprint is lit up green. But let's see what's going on under the hood.
You don't understand what you wrote. The code works, but you can't explain why useCallback is here and not useMemo. Or why the query to the database is written that way. Or what will happen if the load increases 10 times.
You're not growing. Earlier, when you were picking at a bug for two hours, you were learning. You went into the documentation, read the source code, swore, but understoodNow you just get the answer and move on. The brain does not strain — the brain does not grow.
You're losing your intuition. An experienced developer looks at the code and feels: "something is wrong here." It's not magic — it's thousands of hours of practice. If you replaced these hours with "ask AI" — intuition is not formed.
🎤 "But everyone does it!"
Yes. And this is a problem of a whole generation of developers.
Imagine: you come to an interview. A real one. No AI. You're given an algorithm problem. Or they ask you to explain how the Event Loop works. Or they ask what the difference is between the composition and inheritance approaches.
And then it turns out that you worked for three years... but you didn't study for three years. You spent three years delegated training to the machine.
It's like if you rode a taxi for three years and then got behind the wheel during the exam. Technically, you "have experience of moving around the city." In practice, you don't know where the brake is.
💡 How to actually become stronger with AI?
Okay, AI is not evil. It's a tool. It's not the hammer's fault that someone is using it to hammer in screws. Here's how to use AI correct:
First think for yourself — then ask
Before writing a prompt, spend 15 minutes to think through the solution yourself. Even if it's crooked. This is the training.
Use AI as a reviewer, not as an author
Write the code yourself. Then ask the AI to find errors and suggest improvements. This way you practice and get feedback.
Analyze what AI generates
Don't copy mindlessly. Read every line. Ask yourself, "Why is this here?" If you can't answer, then you haven't understood yet.
Disconnect from AI in practice
Set aside time when you solve problems without help. It's like training: unpleasant, hard, but that's how muscles grow. Well, in our case, it's neural connections.
🚀 Where can I get practice without AI crutches?
Appendix Code — created specifically for those who want to really level up their programming skills. Here you solve the problems yourself. No ChatGPT, no copy-paste — just you and the code.
Courses in Python, JavaScript, Java and other languages — from basics to advanced topics
Practical tasks after each lesson - you immediately consolidate what you have learned
Progress and statistics - you see how you really grow
Convenient format - learn even 10-15 minutes a day, even in the subway
📱 Our Telegram channel for developers — regular useful posts: concept analysis, cheat sheets, brain teasers, and news from the world of development. Microdosing of knowledge: every day a little bit, and after a couple of months you notice that you have become really stronger.
AI is a turbine for a car, not a replacement for an engine. If you don't have an engine (fundamental knowledge), the turbine is useless. It will just spin idle.
Become a developer who uses II. And not a developer who does not work without AI.
Download Kodik. Subscribe to our Telegram channel. Practice every day.
Good luck💪