DEV Community: Victoria Odeh

Vibe Coding: How You Can Build an App Without Coding Knowledge

Victoria Odeh — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:21:09 +0000

As an engineer, I’ve spent years building and debugging software. But recently, I did something different — I guided a non-engineer to build a fully functional app without writing a single line of code.
He “vibe coded” it.

And if he can, you can too — even if you’ve never opened a code editor before. In this article, I’ll show you what vibe coding is, how it works, and how you can start building apps with nothing more than clear instructions and curiosity.

What Is “Vibe Coding”?

Vibe Coding is the art of building software through natural language.
Instead of manually typing code, you describe what you want your app to do — and an AI tool (like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) writes the entire code for you.

It’s like having a personal software engineer who listens to your ideas and turns them into deployable projects instantly.

Think of it as prompt engineering for software creation.

You focus on the concept and functionality, while AI handles the translation into code.

How It Works

Here’s the basic process:

Describe the app you want to build in plain English.

The AI generates the code based on your instructions.

You copy and run that code in an online editor like Replit, StackBlitz, or VS Code.

You test and tweak it by refining your prompt.

You don’t need to understand syntax or frameworks. Your main job is to communicate clearly to give the AI enough context to build what you imagine.

My Experiment: Building a Personal Finance Tracker

To show how simple this can be, I recently built a Personal Finance Tracker through vibe coding — and guided a non-engineer to do the same.

Here’s the exact prompt I used:

The Prompt

_“Kindly write a full ready-to-deploy React + Tailwind code file (index.tsx) for a Personal Finance Tracker.
What it does:
Lets users add income and expenses, categorize them, and see a running balance + pie chart.
Features:
Add transaction (description, amount, category)

Display a summary (total income, total expense, balance)

Store data in localStorage

Use Recharts (free chart library) for simple graphs”
_

The Result

In seconds, the AI generated a complete React + Tailwind app, including:
A form to add transactions

A summary section with totals and balances

Local storage integration

A pie chart using Recharts to visualize spending categories

After copying the generated code into an online editor, the app was up and running, no manual debugging, no setup hassle.

Why Vibe Coding Matters

Vibe Coding is reshaping how we build technology. It’s not just a shortcut — it’s a bridge between ideas and execution.
For non-engineers, it removes the fear of code.
For engineers like me, it speeds up experimentation and lets us focus on creativity instead of syntax.

This means:
Faster MVPs and prototypes

Lower entry barriers for innovators

More inclusive participation in software creation

In short: you bring the vision, AI brings the execution.

Tips for Successful Vibe Coding

Be specific.
The more clearly you describe your idea, the better the AI’s code output will be. Mention frameworks, features, and visual expectations.
Iterate patiently
The first output might not be perfect. Refine your prompt until the app behaves exactly as you want.
Learn by observing
Even if you’re not a developer, studying the generated code helps you understand app logic intuitively.
Think like a designer.
Focus on user experience and function — not syntax.

The Future of Software Creation

As an engineer, I see vibe coding not as a replacement for traditional development but as an evolution of it.
It transforms software building into a collaboration between human creativity and machine intelligence.
Developers gain speed.
Non-developers gain access.
And together, they build more — faster.
The barrier between “idea” and “app” is disappearing. The future of coding is conversational, visual, and accessible.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be an engineer to build something meaningful.
But it helps to think like one: to imagine, describe, and refine.
With vibe coding, your words are the new code.
So go ahead: open an AI tool, type your idea, and watch your app come to life.
Because in this new era of creation, if you can describe it, you can build it.

About the Author

Victoria Odeh is a software engineer specializing in PHP and Laravel, with a passion for building solutions that bridge people and technology. Beyond coding, she’s a writer and published author who loves sharing ideas that inspire innovation and inclusion. She’s also active in community service, mentoring and empowering others to explore technology and creativity.
Follow her for more insights on women in tech, software development, and the future of no-code creation.

Setting up your New System as a Software Engineer

Victoria Odeh — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:44:23 +0000

When I got a new system a while ago, I decided to document my setup process, everything from installing essential developer tools to configuring Git, PHP, Laravel, Node.js, and other work-related environments. I never published the notes, but months later, when I had to switch systems again, that simple document saved me hours of guesswork.

It made the transition smoother and faster. That experience taught me the value of documenting my setup—not just for myself, but for others who might be navigating a similar path. In this article, I’ll walk you through how I set up my new system as a software engineer, with practical steps you can adapt to your own workflow.

When setting up a new system, especially a MacBook for software development, you need to install essential developer tools and utilities. This guide provides a step-by-step process to ensure your system is ready for coding.

Install Developer Tools

Before you start installing software, ensure that Command Line Developer Tools are installed:

xcode-select --install
If you encounter issues, manually accept the Xcode license:

sudo xcodebuild -license accept

Install Homebrew (Package Manager)

Homebrew is a must-have tool for macOS users to install software efficiently. Install it by running:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

After installation, update Homebrew:

brew update

brew upgrade

Install Essential Development Tools

Now that you have Homebrew, install the essential tools using the following commands:

Inside your Code Editor (VS Code)

brew install --cask visual-studio-code

Docker (For Containerized Development)

brew install --cask docker

MySQL (Database)

brew install mysql
brew services start mysql

To secure MySQL installation:

mysql_secure_installation

Mail Utilities

If you need a mail server for local development, install MailHog:

brew install mailhog

Run MailHog: mailhog

Postman (API Testing)

brew install --cask postman

Node.js & npm (JavaScript Runtime)

brew install node

Verify installation:

node -v

npm -v

Communication Apps (Slack & Teams)

brew install --cask slack

brew install --cask microsoft-teams

Set Up SSH (For Secure Connections)

If you need SSH access for GitHub or remote servers, generate an SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

Add the SSH key to the SSH agent:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Copy your SSH key:

pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys and add your key.

Final Steps

✅ Restart your terminal or system for all changes to take effect.
✅ Run brew doctor to check for any issues with Homebrew.
✅ Open VS Code and install useful extensions like Prettier, ESLint, and GitLens.
✅ Configure Docker settings for optimal performance.
✅ Set up MySQL Workbench or another database GUI if needed.

You're Ready to Code.
Your MacBook is now ready for development.

God Mode Activated

Victoria Odeh — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:31:22 +0000

Ayo stared at the blinking cursor on his laptop, his brows furrowed in frustration. For three days straight, he’d been stuck on the same bug. His Laravel backend kept returning a mysterious 500 error whenever he tried to update a user's wallet balance. He had written tests, refactored controllers, and even consulted ChatGPT. Nothing worked.

That weekend, he visited his uncle Tobi, the family’s tech hero. Uncle Tobi ran a growing fintech startup and was the CTO everyone in Lagos admired. Ayo hoped he’d finally get the clarity he needed.

They were in his uncle’s home office, surrounded by whiteboards filled with flow diagrams and startup slogans. Ayo explained the problem, walking him through the code on his laptop. His uncle scrolled through silently for a few moments.

Then, to Ayo’s surprise, Uncle Tobi sighed and leaned back.

“You’ve done everything right,” he said. “And the logic is clean. I honestly don’t know what’s wrong.”

Ayo was stunned. “You don’t know?”

His uncle smiled. “Even CTOs get stumped. What about AI? Have you asked ChatGPT or Copilot?”

Ayo nodded. “I did. Even tried regenerating the whole controller. No luck.”

Then his uncle grew quiet. “Then it’s time for a different kind of debugging.”

Ayo blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Have you prayed about it?”

The question seemed out of place at first. Pray? About a bug in his code?

His uncle continued, “God gave you the vision for the app, right? Why not ask Him for the wisdom to build it? James 1:5 says if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God.”

Ayo smiled at the memory. That conversation had changed everything.

That night, after the talk with his uncle, he shut his laptop, knelt beside his bed, and prayed. Not just a rushed “God help me” prayer, but a heartfelt one. He thanked God for the gift of creativity, admitted his frustration, and asked the Holy Spirit to help him see what he was missing.

He woke up the next morning with an idea: “Check the model observer.”

He jumped out of bed, opened his codebase, and sure enough—buried in a user observer was a rogue method updating wallet balances in a loop. That was the culprit.
He fixed the logic, ran the test, and watched all the green checkmarks roll in.

It worked.

That moment changed how Ayo approached everything. He still loved Laravel, still used AI tools, and still looked up to his uncle. But now, he coded with a different mindset:
God wasn’t just watching from above—He was involved. The Original Creator. The First Engineer. The One who could bring light into any logic error.

And every time Ayo hit a wall, he smiled, whispered a prayer, and said to himself,
“God mode: activated.”

Step by step of How to Build your First Laravel Project

Victoria Odeh — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:42:12 +0000

Are you just getting started with Laravel? Laravel is a popular PHP framework used to build web applications. Before you begin, ensure you have PHP, Composer and a database (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.) installed on your computer.

Follow these steps to create your first Laravel project:

Step 1: Create a Laravel Project

Open your command-line tool (Terminal on macOS or Command Prompt on Windows).
Move to the folder where you want to create your project.
Run this command to install Laravel:

composer create-project --prefer-dist laravel/laravel project-name

Replace project-name with your preferred name.

Step 2: Set Up Your Project
Open your project folder:

cd project-name

Copy the environment file:

cp .env.example .env

Generate an application key:
php artisan key:generate

Step 3: Configure the Database
Open the .env file in a text editor like Visual Studio Code

Update the database settings:

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your_database_name
DB_USERNAME=your_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

MySQL credentials: The username is usually root, and the password is empty ("") by default.

Create the DB in your mysql Ensure you create the database in MySQL before proceeding.

Create needed tables by running php artisan make:migration create_table_name_table

Replace table_name with your preferred table name.
Run database migrations to create tables:
php artisan migrate

Step 4: Start the Development Server
Run this command to start your local server:
php artisan serve
Visit http://127.0.0.1/8000in your browser and you should see the Laravel welcome page..

Congratulations, you’ve successfully set up your first Laravel project. From here, you can explore routes, controllers, and other features to build a full-fledged web application. To learn more, check out Laravel’s official documentation: https://laravel.com/docs/11.x/readme

Debugging Ifeoluwa’s Life

Victoria Odeh — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:40:20 +0000

Ifeoluwa had been learning PHP/Laravel for a few weeks, and let’s just say — it was a trial by fire. Variables, controllers, migrations… her brain felt like an overloaded server. But she was determined. She had already built a basic CRUD app, even though the “D” (delete) part kept mysteriously deleting everything.

That evening, she decided to take a break from coding and focus on worship at church during the mid-week service. The service was going smoothly until the pastor confidently declared:

“James 1:17 says, ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.’”

Ifeoluwa blinked. Wait… no variableness?

She sat up, suddenly very awake. No variables? As in… $name, $email, $password? So God wasn’t into coding?

Her mind raced. Maybe that’s why my code keeps breaking. I’ve been trying to do something God isn’t interested in.

She started imagining God debugging her life:

`if ($ifeoluwa->faith < 100) {

throw new Exception(“O ye of little faith!”);

Or maybe Laravel was the problem. After all, Laravel had facades, and didn’t Jesus warn about hypocrites wearing facades?

By the time the sermon ended, Ifeoluwa had convinced herself that she needed to “repent” from loops and return statements. But just as she was about to abandon coding forever, a thought popped into her mind:

Sin was the bug that entered the system. Jesus is the ultimate patch/update that restores the corrupted world. The Holy Spirit is the AI assistant guiding users (believers) to follow God’s design.

Ifeoluwa gasped. She chuckled to herself and whispered, Maybe God isn’t against coding. He’s just the Ultimate Full-Stack Developer and we are running on His divine operating system.

And with that, she walked out of church, ready to debug her faith — and her Laravel project — with fresh confidence and a strong will not to give up.