Why Software Engineering Still Matters in Web Application Development

Web development has changed a lot with the introduction of AI coding tools. A person can now describe a website or application in a few sentences and get a working version without writing much code manually. This is convenient, especially for beginners, but it also raises concerns about the quality of the applications being produced.

This approach, commonly called vibe coding, allows developers to rely heavily on AI to generate code. The problem is that getting an application to work is different from building one properly.

What happens when we skip software engineering?

Software engineering gives developers a structured way to plan, build, test and maintain applications. It covers areas such as system design, database management, security, testing and documentation.

When these steps are ignored, problems can easily enter an application.

For example, someone might use AI to create a login page connected to a database. The page may look good and allow users to sign in. But has the developer checked how passwords are stored? Can one user access another person’s information? What happens when someone enters incorrect data?

These are questions that cannot be answered by looking at the appearance of a website.

The problems with relying on vibe coding

Security risks: AI-generated code can contain weaknesses. Poor authentication, exposed credentials and weak input validation can put user information at risk.

Difficult maintenance: Sometimes AI produces code that is unnecessarily complicated or poorly organised. A developer who does not understand that code may struggle to fix errors or add new features later.

Untested features: A feature may work once and fail under different conditions. Without proper testing, developers may release applications with errors that could have been discovered earlier.

Poor database design: A web application depends on how its data is organised. Incorrect database relationships or weak access controls can lead to missing, duplicated or exposed information.

Overdependence on AI: Developers who copy generated code without understanding it may find it difficult to solve problems independently. This is especially concerning for students who are still learning programming.

AI is useful, but developers still have responsibilities

I don’t think developers should stop using AI tools. They can save time when writing repetitive code, explaining errors or creating prototypes.

The important thing is to review what AI produces. Developers should understand their project requirements, plan the database, check security, test the features and use version control tools such as Git.

AI can assist with these tasks, but it should not make developers careless about the final product.

Final thoughts

A web application is used by real people, and its mistakes can affect their information, time and work. That is why software engineering should remain part of every serious development project.

Being able to generate an application quickly is a useful skill. Knowing how to check it, improve it and keep it safe is just as important.

This article was prepared with assistance from AI and reviewed by the author.