The Handmade Network exists to promote the development of high-quality software and foster a community of programmers who enjoy and deeply understand programming. We recognize that AI tools are powerful, but because they make it easy to produce code without understanding, AI tends to go against the values of this community in practice.
Our goal with this policy is not to forbid the responsible use of AI. Instead, our AI policy is designed to put boundaries on AI use that preserve the community’s values and provide guidance on how to use AI in ways we consider responsible.
Please remember: We do NOT believe that it is impossible to create useful (or even high-quality) software using the tools and practices forbidden here. If we forbid a practice, that ONLY means that it goes against our community values.
No vibe-coding
We are firmly against “vibe-coding”, by which we mean “producing software without looking at the code”. Vibe-coded projects are not allowed to be shared under any circumstances. For discussion purposes, vibe-coding should be considered off-topic for the community.
The Handmade community has always encouraged its members to build things for themselves, whether for self-sufficiency, education, or simply the joy of programming. We care about what the computer is actually doing, and the best way to understand this will always be to write the code yourself, but reading the code is the bare minimum.
No AI prose
It is never acceptable for any of your communication within the community to be generated by AI. This includes messages on the website and Discord, blog posts, READMEs, and any other text authored by you and intended to be read by members of the community.
It is rude to expect others to put more effort into reading than you put into writing. Furthermore, in an online community, you are the words you write. Your words reveal your personality, your background, your experience, and your understanding. Writing is also thinking; by writing about a subject, you clarify your own understanding of it, and become a better community member and a better engineer.
We would always rather read broken English or a half-finished blog post instead of sanitized AI prose.
All projects require AI disclosure
All projects on the website must disclose how they use generative AI, including for prototypes, secondary artifacts like tests and build scripts, and purposes other than code generation. This gives the community and its leadership the information they need to judge whether a project is a good fit for Handmade values.
We understand that many community members are using AI in ways they feel are responsible and in line with the Handmade ethos, and we wish to respect that, while recognizing that opinions vary widely within the community on which kinds of AI use are acceptable. Disclosure is the most practical way for us to navigate this tension.
Restrictions on Discord
Some channels on the Handmade Network Discord server have additional restrictions on AI content:
- Discussion of generative AI is forbidden in #general. This ensures that community members always have a space they can visit for AI-free programming discussion. General discussion of generative AI is permitted in other channels such as #undefined-behavior.
- All #project-showcase posts must be Zero AI*. The showcase channel is our community’s greatest source of inspiration, and should be the clearest expression of our values. Posts that showcase some amount of AI code may still be discussed in other channels like #workspace.
By “Zero AI*” we mean that the material being showcased has zero AI generated code, in all respects (including build scripts and tests, if applicable), with two exceptions:
- Using AI as a search tool is acceptable. For the purposes of this policy, we do not consider copy-paste of AI search results to be “AI codegen”, although you really ought to read and understand it carefully.
- Using AI for entirely mechanical and deterministic purposes is acceptable, e.g. generating bindings or data tables. In such cases, the end result is indistinguishable from handwritten code.
The #project-showcase restriction applies only to the material being showcased, not the entire project. The author of a project that has disclosed AI use may therefore still share updates in #project-showcase as long as AI was not involved in the material being showcased.
FAQ
Can I use AI to find bugs or do security analysis?
Yes. Just don’t be too eager to apply an AI-suggested fix :)
I have no sense of aesthetics. Can I use AI to help my projects look more appealing?
We do not draw a distinction between AI-generated styles and AI-generated code. As with prose, we would rather see programmer UI than artificially polished UI. If you want to make your project look better, the community is full of people who would be happy to help!
As for assets, while we have no specific rules against AI-generated media, you are strongly discouraged from using AI assets in your projects. We like programmer art!
I am a beginner. Is it ok to use AI to find my way around?
We understand that AI can be very helpful as a beginner tool, but please don’t take shortcuts! We pride ourselves on being welcoming to beginners and willing to answer stupid questions, and are happy to provide guidance. We also love when beginners share their work, so don’t be afraid to engage with the community. We were all once beginners.
What’s wrong with using AI for tests?
Testing is a serious and important skill in programming that needs to be developed like any other. Programmers who are good at testing their code have developed their instincts through experience, and often employ a variety of techniques to make their tests more coherent, maintainable, and effective.
What’s wrong with using AI for build scripts?
Your build script is a critical part of your project that also deserves care and attention. If your build script is so complicated that you need an AI to write it for you, perhaps you just need to simplify your builds. Your future self, and future coworkers, will thank you for taking your build seriously!
Last updated on September 6, 2026.