How I Use AI and Chatbots to Build MyZubster: A Self-Taught Developer's Journey

From Self-Taught to AI-Powered

I've always been a self-taught developer. I learned by doing, by breaking things, and by fixing them. But when I started building MyZubster – a complete Monero payment gateway and skills marketplace ecosystem – I knew I needed to work smarter, not harder.

That's where AI and chatbots changed everything.

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My AI Workflow

1. Ideation & Architecture

When I have an idea for a new feature, I don't start coding immediately. I start with:
"I want to build a PGP signing service for the marketplace. Help me design the architecture."

The AI helps me think through:

• What endpoints I need
• Which services are required
• How to structure the code
• What security considerations to keep in mind

2. Code Generation

Instead of writing every line from scratch, I use AI to generate boilerplate and complex logic:

javascript
// Example: AI-generated PGP service
const signMessage = (message) => {
  // AI suggested the structure and error handling
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    // ... full implementation generated
  });
};
3. Debugging & Error Resolution

When I hit an error, I don't spend hours reading Stack Overflow. I paste the error to the AI:
Result: I learn faster and apply new knowledge immediately.
The AI-Driven Development Cycle
text

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    AI-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  1. Idea                          ──►  2. AI Analysis          │
│     (I have a concept)                 (AI suggests approach)   │
│                                                                 │
│  3. Code Generation                ──►  4. Implementation       │
│     (AI writes boilerplate)            (I refine and test)      │
│                                                                 │
│  5. Debugging                      ──►  6. Optimization         │
│     (AI helps fix errors)              (AI suggests refactoring)│
│                                                                 │
│  7. Documentation                  ──►  8. Launch               │
│     (AI writes docs)                   (Everything is ready)    │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The Results: MyZubster

MyZubster is a fully functional, self-hosted Monero payment gateway and skills marketplace ecosystem.

What it includes:

    🔐 PGP-Signed Orders – Every order is cryptographically verified

    🧅 Tor/Orbot Integration – Anonymous connection to the marketplace

    📍 Geolocation – Find service providers near you

    💬 Encrypted Messaging – End-to-end chat between users

    📡 Offline Mode – Works without internet connection

    💰 Monero Payments – Private, borderless transactions

All built with the help of AI.
Why I'm Open About Using AI

    Transparency – I believe in being honest about how I work.

    Inspiration – I want to show other developers that AI is a tool, not a threat.

    Collaboration – AI helps me build faster and better.

AI doesn't replace developers – it amplifies them.
How You Can Use AI in Your Projects
1. Start Small

Use AI for simple tasks: generating boilerplate, writing tests, or formatting documentation.
2. Be Specific

The more specific you are, the better the results. Instead of "write code," try "write a Node.js function that validates JWT tokens."
3. Review Everything

AI can make mistakes. Always review the code, test it, and understand it before deploying.
4. Learn from It

Don't just copy-paste. Ask the AI to explain its reasoning. Learn from the suggestions.
The Future of AI-Powered Development

The tools are getting better every day. I'm excited to see where this goes.

What's next for me?

    🧠 More AI integration – Automating testing and deployment

    🤝 Community collaboration – Using AI to help others contribute

    📚 Sharing knowledge – Writing more about AI-assisted development

MyZubster Repositories

    MyZubster – Main repository (ecosystem root)

    MyZubsterGateway – Core Monero payment gateway

    MyZubster-Marketplace – Marketplace with PGP verification

    MyZubster-App – Android app with Orbot & encryption

Final Thoughts

AI isn't cheating. It's working smarter.

I'm proud of what I've built with MyZubster. And I'm proud that I used every tool available to make it happen.

If you're a developer who's curious about AI, I encourage you to try it. Start small. Experiment. You might be surprised by what you can achieve.

The future of development is collaborative – between humans and machines.

Built with ❤️ for the Monero community and the open source ecosystem.