--- title: "Don't Be Careful, Be Competent" url: https://daily.dev/posts/don-t-be-careful-be-competent-chfo55jg2 source_url: https://news.alvaroduran.com/p/dont-be-careful-be-competent type: article source: "The PayEng Playbook" published: 2026-06-24T10:39:26.432Z updated: 2026-06-24T10:39:48.938Z tags: ["llm", "ai-coding", "vibe-coding"] reading_time: 12 upvotes: 0 comments: 0 language: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Don't Be Careful, Be Competent **[The PayEng Playbook](https://daily.dev/sources/alvaroduran)** · 12 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary A payments engineer argues against fully delegating code to LLMs, making the case that writing code yourself is the highest form of thinking — not low-level work. Drawing on Peter Thiel's 'Zero to One' and Brooks' 'Mythical Man Month', the author contends that AI-native companies that will succeed are those where engineers still write code by hand, maintaining conceptual integrity and a unified product vision. Vibe coding is framed as a Faustian bargain: convenient but corrosive to deep understanding, flow state, and the nuanced knowledge that differentiates great engineers. The recommended approach is to use LLMs for brainstorming and review, not delegation. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [Why I Don’t Vibe Code](https://daily.dev/posts/why-i-don-t-vibe-code-wmbgbioyc) · Lobsters · 9 upvotes · 4 comments - [Stop Being an AI Babysitter: How to Use LLMs Without Losing Code Ownership](https://daily.dev/posts/stop-being-an-ai-babysitter-how-to-use-llms-without-losing-code-ownership-1cbod061k) · Sergio Lema · 31 upvotes · 4 comments - [How to Expertly Use LLMs in Development Workflows](https://daily.dev/posts/how-to-expertly-use-llms-in-development-workflows-iizgvppf9) · Tighten · 1 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#llm](https://daily.dev/tags/llm), [#ai-coding](https://daily.dev/tags/ai-coding), [#vibe-coding](https://daily.dev/tags/vibe-coding) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/don-t-be-careful-be-competent-chfo55jg2)