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AI Journal
Jul 31, 2026
8 min read

Me and AI

As a domain expert who doesn't know how to code, how could I single-handedly build a Web App that looks as good as the one you are seeing? The answer lies in logical thinking and the help of AI.

Back in my university days, I had quite a few ideas for games, software, websites, and more. However, there has always been a massive barrier preventing those great ideas from becoming actual products: The lack of programming skills (because I studied HR, not programming—and looking back, it was pretty silly of me not to even think about taking extra classes for this skill).

As a domain expert (Product Manager, HRIS...), I deeply understand how a product's process should flow, where the data should go, and exactly how the UI/UX should look to satisfy users. But if you asked me to open a code editor and type out React or TypeScript line by line, my answer would definitely be: "I don't know how to code!"

However, welcome to DuySite. Behind the smooth interface, the real-time Chat Room, and the absolutely secure document processor (PDF Splitter) you are experiencing, lies the result of a new era: Agentic AI.

1. The Pain of "Having Ideas but No Code"

In the past, to build a simple feature like Live Translate, I would have had to:

  • Go online and find a freelancer or a dev team.
  • Write a lengthy Business Requirements Document (BRD).
  • Wait for weeks or even months.
  • Receive a product that might not be 100% what I envisioned due to communication misalignment.
  • If I wanted to make adjustments, I'd have to go through that loop all over again.

The Core Pain Point: The high costs and long waiting times were discouraging. I was afraid of everything—afraid of wasting money, afraid of making mistakes.

2. The Solution: Turning AI into my Personal "Developer"

Everything changed with the advent of advanced AI models. I don't use AI for trivial Q&A; I use it as the ultimate Pair-programming Agent.

Acting as the "Chief Architect", my job is not to type code, but to delegate (Prompting) like this:

  • "I want to build a Web App framework using Next.js 16, with Dark Mode and dual language support (EN/VI). Please set up the base code for me."
  • "For the PDF Splitter page, I need this logic: If the user chooses to split by max size (e.g., Max 1MB), take a snapshot of the file before adding a new page. If adding the new page exceeds the limit, zip that safe snapshot and start a new file. This MUST be processed 100% Client-side using pdf-lib for privacy."

I feed the AI with Logic and Process knowledge, and the AI returns fully functional source code.

3. The First Fruits

Through continuous brainstorming, discussion, tweaking, and alignment, the DuySite product was formed at an unbelievable speed:

  1. Sustainable Architecture: The Dark Mode system (with Blue Tech and Earth Tech variants) and the Next-Intl multilingual system were set up flawlessly by the AI without a single wasted line of code.
  2. WebSockets (Chat Room): Integrating Pusher and Upstash Redis for real-time chat. I just needed to map out the flow: User types -> Server receives -> Pusher Broadcasts, and the AI wrote the rest.
  3. Zero-Cost & Absolute Security (PDF Splitter): Instead of renting a heavy server to split files, I told the AI to push this entire workload down to the user's browser (Client-side). The result? A system running at zero server cost and completely respecting user privacy (the file never leaves the user's machine).

4. The Future for Outsiders Like Me: A Return to "Logic"

After completing DuySite (well, just phase 1—I still plan to add many more cool utility features), I realized a truth: AI does not steal human jobs; it only shifts human value.

Coders aren't being replaced, losing their jobs, or being threatened. In fact, they have an even greater advantage than the rest of us. They understand technology, they understand AI better than an outsider like me, so they will certainly command AI much more smoothly.

But what about outsiders like me? If we possess Logical Thinking, Process Mapping, and UI/UX Empathy, we will find that working is easier than ever before. You don't need to know C++, Java, or TypeScript to create a product (meaning you don't need to know or memorize specific functions or exact code; you just need to grasp the principles and how things operate). You just need to know what you want and how to describe it as rigorously as possible, and AI will help you with the rest.

DuySite is living proof of that. And this Zero to Hero journey has just begun!