How I Used ChatGPT in 2025

2025 wasn’t just another year of coding, learning, and struggling - it was the year I consistently worked with ChatGPT.

Not as a replacement for thinking.
Not as a shortcut.
But as a thinking partner, debugger, explainer, and creative assistant.

This post is a reflection on how I used ChatGPT throughout the year, what actually helped, what didn’t, and why it became a tool I kept coming back to almost daily.

My ChatGPT Archetype: The Engineer

ChatGPT tagged my usage archetype as The Engineer, and honestly - that felt accurate.

I wasn’t using it for casual chit-chat or random prompts. Most of my conversations revolved around:

• Breaking down complex backend concepts
• Debugging Node.js, Express, and TypeScript issues
• Designing APIs and system flows
• Improving code structure and readability
• Thinking through real-world tradeoffs

The archetype fits because my usage was problem-driven, not curiosity-driven.

The Numbers That Surprised Me

When I looked at my yearly stats, a few things stood out immediately:

• 7,383 chats
• 44.79K messages sent
• Top 1% of users by messages
• 33.65K em-dashes exchanged
• 44 images generated
• My chattiest day: Nov 11

These numbers aren’t about flexing - they reflect consistency.

I didn’t binge for a week and disappear.
I showed up almost every day with real problems, questions, frustrations, and ideas.

How ChatGPT Actually Helped Me

Learning Without Tutorial Hell

Instead of watching endless videos, I started asking very specific questions:

• Why does this middleware fail only in production?
• What’s the real difference between cache-aside and write-through?
• Is this controller too fat, or am I overthinking?

ChatGPT helped me shorten the feedback loop:

explain → try → fail → refine

That alone saved me hundreds of hours.

Debugging With Clarity (Not Guesswork)

One underrated benefit was structured thinking.

Even when ChatGPT didn’t give the exact fix, it helped me:

• Narrow down the problem
• Identify assumptions
• Ask better follow-up questions
• Stop random trial-and-error

Debugging felt less chaotic and more deliberate.

Turning Confusion Into Language

A big shift for me this year was articulating thoughts - especially for:

• Blog posts
• LinkedIn threads
• Project documentation

ChatGPT helped me convert messy mental models into clear explanations, without diluting technical depth.

That skill alone made me more confident as a developer.

The Visual Side of My Year

I didn’t generate images just for fun.

Whenever I did, it was to:

• Visualize ideas
• Create blog visuals
• Represent a developer’s daily life
• Add personality to technical content

This still-life image captures what most dev days actually look like:

No hype.
Just work, patience, and persistence.

What ChatGPT Did Not Do for Me

Let’s be clear - ChatGPT didn’t:

• Make me a better engineer automatically
• Replace hard thinking
• Eliminate frustration

I still had to:

• Read documentation
• Write bad code first
• Get stuck
• Sit with uncertainty

ChatGPT didn’t remove the grind - it made the grind smarter.

Why I’ll Keep Using ChatGPT

Because it works best when you already care about improvement.

• Ask shallow questions → get shallow answers
• Ask precise questions → gain leverage

For me, ChatGPT became:

• A mirror for my thinking
• A fast feedback system
• A companion during long learning stretches

Not magic.
Just useful - consistently.

Final Thoughts

2025 wasn’t about becoming a “10x developer”.

It was about:

• Thinking clearer
• Learning faster
• Building with more intention

ChatGPT didn’t give me success -
it helped me earn it more efficiently.

And that’s exactly what a good tool should do.