Let’s skip the fluff.
If you’re here, you’ve probably heard the term vibe coding floating around in dev circles or on X, and you’re wondering—what is it really?
It’s not a passing trend. It’s a new way of building software that’s already being used by some of the leanest, fastest-growing startups out there. I’ve used it myself—heavily—and it’s transformed my workflow.
But vibe coding isn’t magic. It’s a combination of good tooling, smart workflows, and a shift in how we think about code. Let me break it down for you.
So, What Is Vibe Coding?
Vibe coding is the act of building software by describing what you want in plain English—and letting AI handle the code.
Imagine this: instead of writing HTML, React components, or backend logic manually, you just say what you need. Tools like V0, Windsurf, ChatGPT, and Cursor interpret your intent and write the actual code.
The term “vibe coding” was popularized by Andrej Karpathy (ex-Tesla, co-founder of OpenAI), who put it like this:
“Give into the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.”
It’s about trusting AI to build the scaffolding and logic so you can focus on the problem you’re solving—not the syntax.
My Personal Workflow: How I Use Vibe Coding
Let me show you how this works in the real world—my world.
Step 1: UI with V0
I start almost every project with V0. It’s an AI-powered UI builder that skips Figma entirely.
Example prompt:
“Create a SaaS dashboard with a sidebar, charts, and user avatar in the header.”
Boom. It gives you a polished, responsive UI built in React + Tailwind. That alone saves me hours per screen.
Step 2: Backend with Windsurf (Codeium)
Once the front end is set, I move to Windsurf. This is where things get serious—backend logic, APIs, databases.
I prompt Windsurf to scaffold the auth system, database schema, and CRUD logic, and then review what it gives me. No boilerplate. No wasted time.
And because I can handle both design and dev, I don’t need to hand off or translate. It’s all fluid.
The Bonus: No Figma
Since I do both design and code, Figma became an unnecessary step. With V0, I go straight from prompt to live UI. No static mocks. No handoff. Just production code.
That’s the beauty of vibe coding—it bends to your strengths.
Tool Breakdown: What You’ll Need
Why Vibe Coding Is Taking Off
Let’s get into the benefits—and why this isn’t going away.
1. Speed
You can build a working MVP in hours. Skip the wireframes. Skip the setup. Just describe what you need and start iterating.
2. Accessible to Non-Devs
Vibe coding lets founders and designers build real products—even if they don’t know JavaScript from Java.
3. Massive Efficiency
AI handles the repetitive stuff. You focus on high-level thinking. It’s like going from manual labor to directing a team of clones.
4. Cleaner Dev Cycles
Because you build in code (not prototypes), your feedback loop shrinks dramatically. Build, test, tweak—live.
Real Examples: What Vibe Coding Can Do
These aren’t unicorns. They’re just teams working smarter.
Code Breakdown: Traditional vs. Vibe Coding
Let’s compare a basic login form.
Traditional Code (React):
function LoginForm() {
const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
const [password, setPassword] = useState('');
const handleSubmit = async () => {
await fetch('/api/login', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ email, password }),
});
};
return (
<form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
<input onChange={e => setEmail(e.target.value)} />
<input type="password" onChange={e => setPassword(e.target.value)} />
<button type="submit">Login</button>
</form>
);
}
Vibe Coding Prompt:
“Create a responsive login form with email and password fields, inline validation, and a loading spinner on submit.”
Output includes client-side validation, error handling, UX niceties—ready to ship.
When Vibe Coding Works (And When It Doesn’t)
Here’s how to know if this is a good fit for you:
What To Watch Out For
1. You Stop Reading the Code
Trusting AI blindly is risky. Always review what you ship.
2. Security Gaps
AI doesn’t always know what secure code looks like. Especially for auth or payments.
3. Vendor Lock-In
If your whole stack depends on one tool, and it dies—you’re in trouble.
Best defense? Use AI tools like assistants, not crutches.
The Future of Vibe Coding
Here’s what’s next:
- Prompt-driven Dev Environments – IDEs where natural language replaces CLI.
- AI-native Frameworks – Not just React wrappers. Frameworks built to work with AI.
- Real-time Collaboration – Live prompting across design + dev in one canvas.
Think of it like this: just as cloud computing made servers invisible, vibe coding is making code invisible.
Before we wrap up, let’s be clear—Figma is still a valuable tool.
It’s unmatched when it comes to collaborative design, design systems, and cross-team workflows. If you’re working in a big team, Figma is indispensable. What we’re saying here isn’t “ditch Figma.” It’s: if you wear multiple hats—design and dev—vibe coding can let you skip a few steps when it makes sense.
For solo builders, small teams, or rapid prototyping, vibe coding fills that “idea to output” gap faster than traditional tooling. It’s an option, not a replacement. And for a lot of us, it’s a more fluid way to work.
Final Thoughts
Vibe coding isn’t replacing developers.
It’s replacing the waste in development—the meetings, the handoffs, the boilerplate.
If you’re a builder, especially one who understands design and code, this is your time. You don’t need to wait for the next sprint. You can ship something meaningful today.
Start with a prompt. Build a screen. Add logic. Ship. Iterate.
And if you’re wondering if you’re “qualified” to try vibe coding—don’t.
Just try it.
