10 min
What is Vibe Coding?
Written by Stephane Boghossian
There’s a new way to build—and it doesn’t start with a blank code editor. It starts with a vibe.
Vibe Coding is what happens when you stop typing and start orchestrating. It’s not no-code. It’s not low-code. It’s AI-first creation where your words steer the machine, and your product is built in real time by your ideas. You’re not learning syntax. You’re learning taste.
This isn’t some fringe movement—it’s happening now. Founders are shipping SaaS in days. Designers are launching tools without touching React. Kids are building full apps with a single prompt.
And the best part? Anyone can start. Today.
This is your playbook.
Let’s break it down.
- What is Vibe Coding?
- What Vibe Coding is — and Why It Matters
- How to Start Vibe Coding Today
- 1. Pick a canvas, not a codebase
- 2. Describe your dream, not your stack
- 3. Ride the loop
- 4. Work with the AI, not against it
- 5. Layer in structure later
- 6. Don’t learn to code. Learn to prompt.
- 7. Ship it—even if it sucks
- Your Advice for Future Builders
- ✅ Start non-technical
- ✅ Define success early
- ⚠️ Don’t blind-vibe
- 🧠 Learn even a little
- 🔒 Prioritize security
- 🎯 Own your environment
- Advice for the Intimidated
- The Future of Vibe Coding
- 1. The IDE becomes invisible
- 2. Models evolve from assistant to architect
- 3. Every builder becomes a founder
- 4. The dev role fragments
- 5. The platform becomes the product
- Bottom Line?
- Conclusion
- References
What Vibe Coding is — and Why It Matters
Vibe coding, coined by Andrej Karpathy in February 2025, is a paradigm shift: instead of crafting every line, you describe what you want in plain English and let an AI like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or Cursor write the code. It's about vibing with the tools, not wrestling with syntax.
The power? It instantly democratizes development: non-tech founders, hobbyists—even journalists—can build apps or games. NYT’s Kevin Roose, despite having zero coding background, built a retro-style game called “Meatball Mania” in 40 minutes using AI. Y Combinator reports that 25% of winter 2025 startups have codebases 95% AI-generated.
But this ease comes at a cost: code quality, security, and ownership become murky. AI often introduces bugs or introduces vulnerabilities, and those who can’t review the code risk shipping untrusted software . Greg Brockman of OpenAI even warns that engineering is losing its joy—developers are reduced to code QA and deployment.
But it matters because it’s reshaping the builder economy. Solo founders can now go from idea to prototype in hours. Y Combinator’s Garry Tan says vibe coding lets 10 engineers do the work of 50–100 . AWS’s Deepak Singh sees AI shifting developers toward problem-solving roles, letting tools handle the routine
How to Start Vibe Coding Today
Even if you’ve never written a line of code.
You don’t need to code. You need to vibe. That means: let the AI do the typing while you steer the product.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Pick a canvas, not a codebase
Don’t open VS Code. Don’t install Node. Use a platform designed for vibe coding:
- Lovable.dev or equivalent – build full apps with a chat-like AI flow.
- Cursor – AI-native IDE that feels like collaborating with a genius cofounder.
Start wherever feels intuitive. You’re not committing to tooling—you’re exploring vibes.
2. Describe your dream, not your stack
“Build a journal app that speaks in pirate slang.”“I need a site to sell mushroom-themed wedding invitations.”
“Make a Chrome extension that blocks LinkedIn during lunch.”
You’re not giving specs. You’re giving direction. Your job is vision. AI’s job is translation.
3. Ride the loop
Prompt → Build → Test → Tweak → Repeat.
This is the new dev cycle. Vibe coders live in fast loops:
- Don’t like the UI? Say: “Make it minimalist.”
- Want a DB? Say: “Add Supabase and email login.”
- Got a bug? Say: “Fix the crash on mobile view.”
Fabian (Lovable) nailed it:
“Open 10 tabs. Work in parallel. It’s the new AB testing.”
Speed is your friend. Polish comes after.
4. Work with the AI, not against it
- Ask the AI to explain the code it writes.
- Ask for comments, refactoring, accessibility, SEO.
- Ask for three versions, not one. Then pick your favorite.
You’re not babysitting a robot. You’re vibing with a co-creator. If it stalls, change your tone. You’re the DJ—AI is the deck.
5. Layer in structure later
Early-stage vibe coding is chaotic on purpose. You build before you plan. Later, layer in:
- Version control (GitHub)
- Analytics (Plausible, LogSnag)
- Payment (Stripe or LemonSqueezy)
- Auth (Clerk, Supabase)
But upfront? Just build what feels right. As Sarah (Norain) said:
“AI hasn’t made startups easier. It’s just changed what’s hard.”
6. Don’t learn to code. Learn to prompt.
Code is now your second language. Your first is intent.
Start collecting your own Model Context Packs (MCPs) — reusable prompt structures that let you:
- Rebuild ideas in new verticals.
- Share templates with the community.
- Clone entire apps and remix.
You’re building a vibe library, not a codebase.
7. Ship it—even if it sucks
Put it online. Share the link. Get 5 friends to try it.
One-person unicorns exist. But only if you stop lurking and start publishing. Execution is your moat now. Not polish. Not perfection.
As Richard (NextML) said:
“If you know your customer, the tools will do the building.”
Your Advice for Future Builders
✅ Start non-technical
Download Replit or use Copilot in VS Code. Prompt AI to build something simple: a to‑do list, a calculator, a landing page. Replace code with conversation.
✅ Define success early
Is your goal learning or shipping? Prototype fast, then test with real users. Iterate based on feedback—your taste matters more than code quality.
⚠️ Don’t blind-vibe
If you don’t understand generated code, stop. Ask the AI to explain, add comments, or simplify. No understanding = no responsibility.
🧠 Learn even a little
Vibe coding doesn't replace coding fundamentals. Knowing basic HTML/CSS/JS helps you catch errors, customize behavior, and extend beyond what AI gives you .
🔒 Prioritize security
Don’t ship anything without reviewing for vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection, open credentials). AI can produce code at scale—but you need to check it .
🎯 Own your environment
Use version control and set up safe test environments. Treat vibe-coded apps like any other project—with CI, backups, monitoring.
Advice for the Intimidated
- Shift mindset: Speak in English. Don’t fear technical terms. “Create chat UI in React” is enough.
- Learn by reverse-engineering: Run code, tinker, ask the AI to add comments or change variables.
- Lean on communities: Follow the vibe app discord community posts—and join subreddits to see examples and share learnings.
- Pick a narrow domain: Automate a personal task first—like a meal planner, daily reminder, or mini‑game—before tackling bigger apps.
- Trust iteration over perfection: First pass will be rough. Improvement comes from loops.
The Future of Vibe Coding
Vibe coding isn’t a trend. It’s a transition. And we’re only at step one.
1. The IDE becomes invisible
No more VS Code. No more folders. Just one interface: you and the AI, in a shared creative canvas. Real-time collaboration. Instant previews. Full-stack output. Tools like Lovable, Replit, and Cursor are already halfway there.
The next-gen vibe coder won’t “edit files.” They’ll edit outcomes.
2. Models evolve from assistant to architect
Today’s AI writes your code. Tomorrow’s AI plans your roadmap.
It scopes features. Sets up auth. Picks the best stack for your use case. Integrates Stripe, Postgres, and onboarding flows before you finish your coffee.
You’ll start seeing true AI Product Managers — and vibe coders will simply guide them.
3. Every builder becomes a founder
The gatekeeping is gone. The builder class is rising.
- You want to validate an idea? Ship it by lunch.
- You want to test 3 pricing strategies? Run them in parallel.
- You want to clone an app? Remix it from the vibe store.
Execution speed becomes your competitive edge. Taste becomes your IP.
4. The dev role fragments
Engineers won’t disappear. But they’ll evolve into:
- AI orchestrators – maintaining system prompts, chaining tools.
- Infra guardians – securing, scaling, auditing the chaos.
- Pattern designers – defining reusable context packs, workflows, and LLM agents.
The job won’t be to write code. It’ll be to ensure the AI writes the right code.
5. The platform becomes the product
Think App Store, but built by users in real time.
Every app is:
- Forkable
- Remixable
- Shareable
- Disposable
You won’t download software anymore. You’ll spawn it. Siri-style. Local, ephemeral, private. Built just for you—and instantly sharable if it vibes.
Bottom Line?
Vibe coding won’t kill developers.
But it will kill excuses.
The only thing stopping you from building is your own hesitation.
So don’t wait for the future.
Start vibing.
Conclusion
Vibe coding is transforming software development: AI-driven, intent-first, iteration-rich. It matters because it democratizes creation, empowers small teams, and challenges the old dev hierarchy.
- Part 1: Vibe coding is AI-powered, natural-language-driven software creation—fast, accessible, imperfect.
- Part 2: Start with prompts, iterate in AI, review code, refine for production.
- Part 3: For non-tech builders—ask, reverse, tighten, secure, iterate.
To future builders: this is your invitation. Don’t fear vibe coding—own it wisely. Learn a strand of code, gain confidence to iterate, and build tools that matter.
References
Is Vibe Coding the Next Unicorn?
Vibe Coding Community Templates
Siri — Apple’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
Vibe Coding Is a Lie (Without the Fundamentals)