DEV Community: ishrat

I Stopped Writing Code. Here's What I Do Instead (Vibe Coding in 2025)

ishrat — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:37:55 +0000

I've been coding for over a decade. Last month, I built a complete SaaS MVP in 3 days.

Not because I suddenly became 10x faster at typing. Because I barely typed any code at all.

Welcome to vibe coding — and it's changing everything.

## What is Vibe Coding?

The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy (yes, the Tesla AI guy) in early 2025:

"It's not really coding — I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy-paste stuff, and it mostly works."

Instead of writing code line-by-line, you:

Describe what you want in plain English
Let AI generate the code
Run it and see what happens
Paste errors back to AI to fix

That's it. That's the whole workflow.

## Why Should You Care?

According to JetBrains' 2025 developer survey:

85% of developers now use AI tools regularly
62% rely on at least one AI coding assistant
Developers save 1-8+ hours per week

This isn't a fad. This is the new normal.

## Free Tools to Start Vibe Coding Today (No Credit Card Needed)

You don't need to spend a dime to get started. Here are completely free options:

| Tool | What It Does | Why It's Great |
|------|--------------|----------------|
| Cursor | AI-powered IDE | Free tier with 2000 completions/month |
| Codeium | Code autocomplete | 100% free, unlimited, no catch |
| Continue.dev | Open source AI assistant | Free forever, works with VS Code |
| Aider | Terminal AI pair programmer | Free & open source |
| Claude.ai | Chat-based coding help | Free tier available |
| ChatGPT | General AI coding | Free tier available |
| GitHub Copilot | Inline suggestions | Free for students & open source maintainers |

My recommendation for beginners: Start with Codeium (unlimited free) + Claude.ai (for complex questions). Zero cost, full power.

## Paid Tools (When You're Ready)

Once you're comfortable, these are worth the investment:

| Tool | Cost | Best For |
|------|------|----------|
| Cursor Pro | $20/mo | Full IDE experience |
| GitHub Copilot | $10/mo | Inline completions |
| Claude Pro | $20/mo | Complex reasoning |

But seriously, the free tools are incredibly capable. I used only free tools for my first 6 months of vibe coding.

## Real Example: Building a URL Shortener in 10 Minutes

Here's exactly what I typed into Claude (free tier):

Create a FastAPI URL shortener with:

POST /shorten - accepts URL, returns short code
GET /{code} - redirects to original URL
SQLite storage
Rate limiting (10 req/min per IP)

What AI generated (working code):

  from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Request
  from fastapi.responses import RedirectResponse
  from slowapi import Limiter
  from slowapi.util import get_remote_address
  import sqlite3
  import string
  import random

  app = FastAPI()
  limiter = Limiter(key_func=get_remote_address)

  def init_db():
      conn = sqlite3.connect("urls.db")
      conn.execute("""
          CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS urls (
              code TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
              url TEXT NOT NULL
          )
      """)
      return conn

  @app.post("/shorten")
  @limiter.limit("10/minute")
  async def shorten(request: Request, url: str):
      conn = init_db()
      code = ''.join(random.choices(string.ascii_letters, k=6))
      conn.execute("INSERT INTO urls VALUES (?, ?)", (code, url))
      conn.commit()
      return {"short_url": f"http://localhost:8000/{code}"}

  @app.get("/{code}")
  async def redirect(code: str):
      conn = init_db()
      result = conn.execute(
          "SELECT url FROM urls WHERE code = ?", (code,)
      ).fetchone()
      if not result:
          raise HTTPException(404, "Not found")
      return RedirectResponse(result[0])

Ran it. Worked first try. 10 minutes including testing. Cost: $0

The Prompting Secret Nobody Talks About

Bad prompt:
make a todo app

Good prompt:
Create a React TypeScript todo app with:

Add/delete/toggle todos
LocalStorage persistence
Filter: all, active, completed
Tailwind CSS styling
Responsive design

The difference? Specificity.

The more constraints you give, the better the output. Think of it like giving directions — "go somewhere nice" vs "go to the Italian restaurant on 5th street."

When Vibe Coding Fails

Let's be real. It's not magic. It struggles with:

Complex algorithms — AI often produces O(n²) when O(n) exists
Security-critical code — Always review auth/crypto manually
Large codebase refactors — Context window limits hurt
Highly custom business logic — It doesn't know YOUR domain

I still write code manually for ~30% of my work. But that 70% automation? Game changer.

How to Start Today (5-Minute Setup)

Option A: Browser Only (Easiest)

Go to https://claude.ai or https://chat.openai.com
Describe what you want to build
Copy the code, run locally

Option B: IDE Integration (Better)

Install https://code.visualstudio.com
Add https://codeium.com (free)
Start typing — AI suggests completions

Option C: Full Vibe Coding Setup (Best)

Install https://cursor.sh (free tier)
Open any project
Press Cmd+K / Ctrl+K
Type what you want in English
Hit enter and watch

Start with small tasks:

"Add a loading spinner to this button"
"Convert this function to async/await"
"Write tests for this module"

Build confidence, then go bigger.

The Future is Conversational

In 5 years, I believe:

Junior dev interviews will test prompting skills
"Vibe coder" will be a real job title
Writing code manually will feel like writing assembly

The developers who adapt now will have a massive advantage.

Want More Developer Tutorials?

I write in-depth guides on AI, Python, and modern development at https://techyowls.io — practical tutorials from engineers who actually ship products.

What's your experience with AI coding tools? Drop a comment — I reply to everyone.

Blooming WeCoded Landing Page

ishrat — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:53:16 +0000

This is a submission for the WeCoded Challenge: Celebrate in Code

My WeCoded Landing Page

My landing page aims to celebrate diversity in tech through storytelling, combining:

Engaging Story Display - A Dynamic article grid pulls real DEV posts

Spring Aesthetic - Bloom-inspired colors/animation symbolizing growth

Interactive Celebration - Playful hover effects and impact counters

Accessible Focus - Clear hierarchy and semantic markup

Community Spirit - Historical context and value proposition cards

Goal: Create an inclusive digital space that visually delights while amplifying underrepresented voices and encouraging exploration through DEV's content ecosystem. 🌸💻✨

Demo

How I Built It

Foundation: Structured content with semantic HTML5 for accessibility

Spring Aesthetic: Crafted custom CSS with seasonal colors/animations using CSS variables

Dynamic Content: Integrated DEV API via Fetch, handling loading/error states

Interactive Elements: Implemented hover animations and counter effects with vanilla JS

Responsive Design: Used CSS Grid + media queries for all devices

Performance: Optimized images + minimized render-blocking resources

Personal Touch: Added author attribution + social links

Key Tech: HTML5, CSS3 (Grid/Animations), Vanilla JavaScript, DEV API
Development Time: ~6 hours focused on balancing aesthetics + functionality

Robots & AI - Real Talk About Our Future (Less Scary, More "Whoa!")🤖😮

ishrat — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 02:11:40 +0000

This is a submission for the Future Writing Challenge: How Technology Is Changing Things.

Hey Taizan,

So, you know how I was rambling about tech stuff last time? Well, robots and AI have been seriously on my mind lately – they're popping up everywhere, right? And yeah, I get it, sometimes it feels a bit… Black Mirror episode is kinda weird.

It’s normal to get a little freaked out thinking robots are gonna steal all the jobs, and we'll all be jobless in robot-land or something. Seriously, I get it! But honestly, I've been thinking about it, and I believe if we chill a bit and actually look at it, robots and AI could make our lives, like, amazingly better.

🤖

Think of them as super-powered tools, yeah? Tools change things and always have. But think about all the amazing stuff tools have given us, not just taken away. Just like the internet blew our minds and created jobs nobody even dreamed of, robots and AI will do the same.

Okay, real talk yeah, some jobs will shift. Machines will take over the stuff that's kinda boring or hard for us humans to do. But guess what? That frees us up for all the good stuff, the fun stuff, the human stuff! We're gonna need people to.

Actually make and fix these robots and AI: Hello, dream job for anyone into techy stuff! Engineers, programmers, designers – they're gonna be in high demand!
Team up and work with them: Imagine doctors using AI to spot diseases earlier than we can imagine or builders having robot helpers to make things safer and faster. It's teamwork, "human + machine"!
Do the stuff robots *can't: Seriously, AI can't write a poem that makes you cry, or give someone a hug when they need it, or come up with a wild, out-of-the-box idea. *Those human skills? They're gonna be gold!

Tech always changes things up. But new stuff coming in means new chances for us, too. We just gotta be ready to learn a bit, roll with it, and see where it takes us.

And honestly? Think of all the good robots and AI can do! Way better healthcare – imagine catching diseases super early. Learning made easier for everyone. Cleaner, greener stuff. Safer workplaces. Even just making everyday life less of a hassle – hello, robot vacuum!

Of course, we gotta be smart cookies about this whole thing. Gotta make sure AI is fair for everyone, keeps our info safe, and doesn't turn into some robot takeover movie plot! But that's on us to make sure it goes right, yeah?

So, instead of freaking out about robots and AI taking over the world, I'm trying to get hyped! This is a chance to make life cooler, invent awesome new jobs, and push things forward. Let's try to focus on getting ready for all the good stuff coming our way.

What do you guys think? Has anyone seen any cool robots or AI in action lately? Or got any "whoa, future!" thoughts?

Challanges

But gotta be real, there are some things we gotta keep an eye on as this robot/AI stuff gets bigger:

Keeping our info safe and private: AI learns from tons of data. We need to make sure our stuff isn't just floating around out there or getting used in weird ways.

Us keeping control: It's powerful tech, right? We gotta make sure humans are still in charge and guiding where it goes, not the other way around! No robot overlords, please!

So yeah, still excited about the good stuff – better health, new jobs, all that. But also think we gotta be smart and talk about these trickier bits. It's our future, right? Let's try to shape it for the best.

Are any worries popping into your head about this stuff? Let's grab coffee soon and chat more!

Catch you all soon,

Best regards,
Ishrat Pinky

Additional Prize Categories

It also touches on ripple effects, although it could be strengthened in that area to more explicitly detail the cascading consequences across various aspects of life. As written, it hints at these effects by mentioning changes in jobs, healthcare, education, and so on, but does not deeply explore the interconnectedness of these changes and their broader societal consequences.

Love Calculator-February edition

ishrat — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:05:26 +0000

This is a submission for Frontend Challenge - February Edition, CSS Art: February.

Inspiration

Demo

Journey

It's a fun project called the Love Calculator, where users input two names to receive a love percentage. It also features a hover effect of love and a pulsing heart animation.

Love Language

ishrat — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 07:55:50 +0000

This is a submission for Frontend Challenge - February Edition, Glam Up My Markup: Love Language Discovery

What I Built

Demo

Journey

Sports landing page By GASP

ishrat — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 00:31:44 +0000

Check out this Pen I made!

Gradient Generator

ishrat — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:10:55 +0000

Check out this Pen I made!
Github Link

Alien Match Game -Web Game Challenge

ishrat — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 19:09:12 +0000

This is a submission for the Web Game Challenge, Build a Game: Alien Edition

What I Built

It is an Alien Match Game

Demo

Journey

Alien Shooter - Web Game Challenge 👾

ishrat — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:01:37 +0000

This is a submission for the Web Game Challenge, Build a Game: Alien Edition

What I Built

Alien Shooter Game Summary

Alien Shooter is a simple HTML5 canvas-based game where the player controls a UFO spaceship and defends Earth from invading aliens. The player can move the UFO left and right using the arrow keys and shoot bullets by pressing the spacebar. The goal is to destroy all the aliens before they reach the bottom of the screen.

Demo

GitHub link

Game Features:

Player-controlled UFO: A UFO-shaped spaceship with a sleek design, featuring a silver base, blue dome, and glowing yellow lights.
Aliens with Random Colors: Aliens are circular, with antennas and eyes. Each alien is given a random colour, making the game visually diverse and engaging.
Shooting Mechanics: Players can shoot bullets to destroy the aliens. Successful hits will earn points.
Game Over Condition: The game ends if an alien reaches the bottom of the screen or collides with the player's UFO.
Victory Condition: Players win if they destroy all aliens on the screen.

This fast-paced game combines visual variety with fun mechanics, making it a simple yet enjoyable challenge!

Space Art Challenge - CSS Art

ishrat — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 22:24:52 +0000

This is a submission for Frontend Challenge v24.09.04, CSS Art: Space.

Inspiration

I designed an interactive Solar System webpage using HTML and CSS. I aimed to improve a simple template by making it visually attractive, responsive, and user-friendly. I concentrated on incorporating interactive elements while ensuring that it remained educational and accessible, by the challenge's requirements.

Demo

Solar System - CSS ART

ishrat — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 03:59:51 +0000

This is a submission for Frontend Challenge v24.09.04, CSS Art: Space.

Inspiration

The Solar System Exploration Project is an interactive educational web experience designed to captivate users with the wonders of our solar system. The project aims to combine visually engaging animations with informative content, offering users an immersive journey through the planets, moons, and celestial phenomena that make up our cosmic neighborhood.

Demo

Journey

Solar System Exploration Project Overview

Key Features:

Interactive Solar System Animation: At the heart of the project is an animated solar system model showcasing the Sun and the planets orbiting around it. Each planet moves in real-time, providing a dynamic and engaging way to visualize the celestial dance of our solar system.
Detailed Planetary Articles: Each planet is accompanied by an in-depth article that provides detailed information about its characteristics, such as distance from the Sun, orbital period, atmosphere, and unique features. These articles are designed to be visually appealing with a modern layout, making learning about each planet more accessible and engaging.
Educational Tooltips: As users explore the site, tooltips offer quick facts and additional insights about various solar system features, enhancing the learning experience.
Responsive Design: The project is optimized for a variety of devices, from desktops to tablets and smartphones, ensuring that users can explore the solar system on any screen size without losing functionality or visual appeal.

Future Enhancements:

Potential future updates could include more interactive features, such as zooming into planets for a closer look, learning about moons, adding fun quizzes to test users’ knowledge, and incorporating real-time data such as planetary positions and celestial events.

This project serves as a foundation for continuous development, with the goal of becoming a comprehensive educational tool for space exploration enthusiasts of all ages.

One Byte Explainer : Divide and Conquer !

ishrat — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:55:32 +0000

This is a submission for DEV Computer Science Challenge v24.06.12: One Byte Explainer.

Divide and Conquer

Divide and Conquer break problems into smaller and similar subproblems, solving them recursively. After solving subproblems, solutions are combined to solve the original problem. Used in algorithms like merge sort and quicksort. Efficient, but requires a careful merging strategy.

Additional Context

The key steps involved in the Divide and Conquer:

Divide: Break the problem into smaller chunks of subproblems.

Conquer: Solve the subproblems recursively.

Combine: Merge or combine the solutions of the subproblems in order to obtain the solution to the original problem.

Some Applications of Divide and Conquer Algorithm:

1. Quicksort:

Efficient sorting by partitioning and recursively sorting subarrays.
Time Complexity: O(n log n) on average, O(n^2) worst-case.

2. Merge Sort:

Sorting algorithm dividing the array into halves, recursively sorting, and merging.
Time Complexity: O(n log n) always.

3. Closest Pair of Points:

Finds the closest pair of points in 2D space.
Time Complexity: O(n log n).

4. Cooley–Tukey FFT Algorithm:

Fast Fourier Transform algorithm.
Time Complexity: O(N log N).

5. Karatsuba Algorithm:

Fast multiplication of two binary strings.
Time Complexity: O(n^1.59).