Imposter Syndrome for Vibe Coders & The Myth of the “Real Developer”

A gentle smackdown for the voice telling you you’re not technical enough.

“I’m not a real developer. I’m just using AI tools. Everyone else knows what they’re doing… I’m just… guessing.”

If that sentence has ever lived in your head — welcome, you’ve officially joined the Imposter Syndrome Club. It’s a membership-free, recurring monthly service with no cancellation button.

And if you’ve ever opened Lovable or Bolt, built something impressive, and then whispered to yourself, “But I didn’t really code that myself…,” then this one’s for you.

This article will show you that your collaborative workflow is the future, not a cheat code.

The Myth of the “Real Developer” (image generated by Substack)

The Myth of the “Real Developer”

There’s a persistent fantasy that “real developers” are shadowy beings who write flawless code from memory in a neon-lit cave, fueled by caffeine and two keyboards.

Meanwhile, you (the “non-technical one”) are using AI, dragging components, and following your curiosity… and somehow that feels like cheating.

But here’s the actual truth:

Professional developers use Google and Stack Overflow constantly (and AI for that matter).

A massive chunk of their job is educated guessing, hunting down errors, and debugging cryptic systems they didn’t write.

As someone who works with software developers, DevOps, and data engineers every single day, I can tell you:

The certainty you imagine them having?
It’s often just them being comfortable with the chaos.

Believe me, if this weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have to sit through hours of retrospective meetings to discuss what went wrong, how, and why.

And that is what you, the vibe coder, do as well. You try, you fail, you fix, you learn, and then you repeat… with AI’s help.

The difference isn’t expertise. It’s comfort with the chaos.

Photo by Karla Hernandez on Unsplash

Everyone Is Winging It

That polished app you love? The one that feels impossibly pro?

Somewhere in that developer’s past is a catastrophic error that forced them to step away, breathe deeply, and reconsider all their life choices.

People who seem “ahead” aren’t superhuman: they’ve just had more practice messing up.

You’re not late to the party. You’re already in the right place. 👋

The Vibe Coder’s Imposter Spiral

This one might feel a little too familiar:

• You build something using AI.

• It works (?!).

• You feel unstoppable.

• Then your brain whispers: “But… was that really you?”

• Spiral begins.

Here’s the thing you forget: Vibe coding is idea → AI → outcome.

You provide the thinking, the direction, the decisions. AI provides the typing, the structure, and the bits you’d rather not wrestle with.

This isn’t cheating. It’s a collaboration.

Typing every line yourself isn’t the badge of honour people think it is. Creativity is.

No one expects a photographer to develop their own film chemicals.
No one expects a novelist to proofread without tools.

So why is using AI suddenly fraudulent? It isn’t.

sign: It’s a trap (image generated by Substack)

The Comparison Trap

You see posts that humble-brag:

“Just launched my 5th app this month using a custom Next.js backend and a fine-tuned model!”

Your internal monologue responds with:

“I can’t even get my form to submit…”

But here’s what their post doesn’t show:

• The 14 projects were abandoned halfway through.

• The 3 am debugging meltdown.

• The broken authentication flow they ignored.

• The self-doubt that hit them just before clicking “Publish.”

Everyone posts their highlight reel. No one posts the messy middle.

Don’t compare your work-in-progress to someone else’s final version.

Reframe How You See Yourself

You’re not “faking it” just because you use AI.

You’re problem-solving. You’re creating. You’re designing experiences.

Try swapping these imposter thoughts with the vibe coder mindset:

❌ “I’m not a developer.” → ✅ “I’m a builder using AI to bring ideas to life faster.”

❌ “I don’t know enough.” → ✅ “Every build teaches me something new.”

❌ “I just followed what Lovable suggested.” → ✅ “I collaborated with AI to create something that didn’t exist yesterday.”

You’re not cheating - you’re pioneering a new creative workflow.

Here’s what “real developers” do daily:

Google obscure error messages
Copy code that someone else wrote
Break their app unintentionally
Fix it accidentally
Forget syntax constantly
Drink tea/coffee defensively

If you’re doing any of that, then congratulations. You are on the right track.

The Growth Mindset (Vibe Coder Edition)

Forget “fake it till you make it.”

Try this instead: Learn it as you make it.

You don’t need to understand everything in advance. You just need enough curiosity to try → break → adjust → repeat.

Each tiny problem you solve (fixing a layout, connecting a database, deploying a site) stacks into confidence.

Quietly… Incrementally… Powerfully! 🦾

How to Beat Imposter Syndrome
(One Vibe at a Time)

1. Keep a “Things I Figured Out” List

Every tiny win goes on the list.

• Fixed spacing issue

• Connected Stripe

• Published my app

At the end of the month, you’ll see your actual progress, not your imaginary shortcomings.

2. Share Your Work Early

Even if it’s messy. Especially if it’s messy.

The first “whoa, this is cool!” from someone else rewires your whole brain.

3. Talk to Other Builders

Every builder, whether it’s AI, no-code, or full-code, secretly feels the same doubts.

Find people who get it. Your vibe will attract your tribe.

4. Redefine What “Real” Means

Real developers build with code. Real vibe coders build with courage.

You don’t need to memorise APIs. You just need to keep showing up.

Own it! You’re a Builder

We all start out feeling like we’re just making educated guesses. That feeling of inadequacy is the price of entry for doing something new and ambitious.

But you have the vision, the intention, and the tools. That makes you a builder.

So the next time that little voice whispers “I’m just guessing,” show it the door. You’re not guessing; you’re pioneering.

Ready to start building, even if you still feel like an imposter?

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Author Spotlight

We’re so grateful to Aniko for allowing us to share her story here on Code Like A Girl. You can find her original post linked below.

Imposter Syndrome for Vibe Coders & The Myth of the “Real Developer”

If you enjoyed this piece, we encourage you to visit her publication and subscribe to support her work!

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