Remember when every tech company suddenly needed a Scrum Master?
They were the person with the sticky notes and the sharpies. Their job was to make sure everyone followed the rules of Agile. They ran the daily stand-ups, planned the sprints, and kept an eye on the "velocity" chart.
The goal was to help us build software better and faster. It was all about the process. The focus was always on how we were working.
Sometimes it helped. Other times, it felt like we were just having meetings about meetings.
Well, that trend cooled off. But the tech world loves a new job title, and as Gen Z floods the workforce, I think I know what's coming next. Because for Gen Z, it's all about the vibes.
Meet the "Vibe Code Cleanup Specialist" ✨
Forget about rigid processes. The new hotness is all about the feeling.
The Vibe Code Cleanup Specialist (or "Code Vibe Checker") doesn't care about your Jira tickets. Their job is to make sure the codebase just feels good. This is a role practically designed for a generation that trusts intuition and authenticity over everything else.
What would they even do?
- Run "Joy Checks": They'd look at a function you wrote, turn to you, and ask with a straight face, "Does this code spark joy?" If not, you refactor it until it does.
- Fix the Code's Energy: You know that part of the app that everyone hates working on? The Vibe Checker would say it has "bad energetic debt" and their job is to "cleanse" it.
- Organize Folders by Feeling: They'd rearrange the project files and folders not just for logic, but for good "Feng Shui." So it just feels nice to look at.
- Delete "Sad" Code: They'd find code written during a stressful project launch and gently remove it, saying it "carries a negative energy."
Basically, their main KPI is whether the codebase "passes the vibe check." Instead of daily stand-ups, they'd host "weekly code meditations" to help everyone get in sync with the project's spirit.
Is This Really So Different?
It sounds silly, right? But think about it. The Scrum Master was trying to fix the human side of coding with process. The Vibe Checker is trying to fix it with feelings.
Scrum Master | Vibe Code Cleanup Specialist | |
---|---|---|
Focus | The process of work. | The feeling of the code. |
Big Question | "Are we working efficiently?" | "Are the vibes off here?" |
Tools | Jira boards, velocity charts. | Good feelings, nice folder names. |
Goal | Ship features on a schedule. | Have a codebase that's a joy to work in. |
The Scrum Master was a very Millennial solution to a management problem: add a process, add more meetings, and track everything. The Vibe Checker is the pure Gen Z approach: if the vibes are off, nothing else matters.
So, What's My Point?
Okay, the "Vibe Code Cleanup Specialist" isn't a real job... yet.
But it's a fun way to think about how our industry is always looking for a new solution to the same old problems. Each generation brings its own language to the workplace. We went from corporate "synergy" to Agile "velocity," so it's not a huge leap to get to "vibes."
We're all just trying to find better ways to build cool things without burning out. And for a new generation of developers, the feeling might just be the most important metric there is.
What do you think? Would you want a Vibe Checker on your team? Let me know in the comments!
Top comments (0)