Before I made it part of my daily workflow, I thought it was just another trend. I was wrong.
For years I wrote code the traditional way: editor open, documentation in another tab, Stack Overflow in another. It worked, but it was slow. Every new feature meant hours of setup, searching, trial and error.
Then I started experimenting with Vibe Coding and my workflow changed completely.
Andrej Karpathy — one of the co-founders of OpenAI — was the one who gave this a name with a tweet that sparked debate across the entire tech community:
"There's a new kind of coding I call vibe coding, where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists."
At first I read it with skepticism. Today it's part of how I work every single day.
What is Vibe Coding?
Vibe Coding is a way of programming where you describe what you want in natural language — as if you were talking to a person — and an AI generates the code for you.
You don't write for loops. You don't memorize syntax. You don't spend hours debugging a missing semicolon.
You say: "I want a web page that shows a task list, where I can add and delete items, and that looks modern."
And the AI builds it.
Tools like Cursor, Claude Code, Higgsfield, and OpenCode make this possible right now.
Why does this matter?
Traditionally, learning to code meant:
- Learning the syntax of a language
- Understanding data structures and algorithms
- Months or years of practice before building something "real"
Vibe Coding changes that order. Now you can:
- Build something real from day one
- Learn the theory while reading the generated code
- Iterate fast and see immediate results
It doesn't replace learning to code — but it does lower the entry barrier to almost zero.
How does it work in practice?
Say you want to build a simple app to track your personal expenses. Here's what the process looks like:
Without Vibe Coding (traditional way)
Week 1-2: Learn basic HTML and CSS
Week 3-4: Learn JavaScript
Week 5-6: Learn DOM manipulation
Week 7: Finally build something functional
With Vibe Coding
Day 1: Describe your idea to the AI
→ "Build an expense tracker app with categories,
totals, and a clean design"
The AI generates the complete code.
You review it, ask what each part does,
request changes, learn along the way.
The tools shaping the ecosystem
There are several tools being used today for Vibe Coding oriented toward web pages and apps. Each one approaches the problem from a different angle.
1. Cursor
A code editor with deeply integrated AI. It runs on top of VS Code, so the environment feels familiar. It lets you interact with code in natural language — ask questions, request changes, understand specific sections — without leaving the editor.
2. Claude Code
An agent that operates from the terminal. It reads the full project context — files, dependencies, structure — and generates or modifies code accordingly. Primarily used in projects where coherence across different parts of the codebase matters.
3. Higgsfield
Focused on generating visual interfaces. From a description, it produces components and layouts ready to integrate. Widely used for the design and layout phase of web pages and apps.
4. OpenCode
An open source code agent that runs in the terminal. Unlike the other options, it's configurable and lets you connect to different AI models. An alternative for those who prefer more control over the tools they use.
What Vibe Coding is NOT
Here's the honest part most articles skip.
It's not magic. AI makes mistakes. Sometimes it generates code that doesn't work, has bugs, or doesn't do exactly what you asked. You need to learn to identify those errors.
It doesn't replace understanding the basics. The more you know about programming, the better instructions you'll give the AI and the better you'll be able to evaluate what it generates. The best Vibe Coding users are experienced developers, not people who have never touched code.
It doesn't work for everything. Complex systems, high-security code, performance optimizations — the AI has clear limits there.
The perfect analogy: Vibe Coding is like having a GPS. It gets you from point A to point B without knowing every street. But if the GPS fails, if there's an unexpected detour, you need to understand at least the basics of navigation to not get lost.
The ideal workflow
1. Describe clearly what you want
The more specific you are, the better the result.
❌ "Make me an app"
✅ "Build a web app with React that has a task list. Each task should have a checkbox to mark it as completed and a button to delete it. Use a minimalist design with a white background."
2. Read the code the AI generates
Don't copy and paste without reading. Ask the AI to explain each part. That's where the real learning happens.
3. Request incremental changes
Don't try to build everything at once. Go piece by piece.
4. Break things on purpose
Modify the generated code, experiment, see what happens. Errors are your best teacher.
5. Learn the theory in parallel
Use platforms like freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, or roadmap.sh to understand the concepts behind the code you're seeing.
Will Vibe Coding replace developers?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: it will radically change what kind of developers are most valuable.
Developers who know how to use AI as an amplification tool — who can provide precise context, evaluate the output, catch errors, and make architectural decisions — are going to be more productive than ever.
Those who ignore these tools will fall behind.
The message is clear: learn to code AND learn to use AI. They're not opposing paths — they're complementary.
Where to start
If you want to take your first step with Vibe Coding this week, here's a concrete plan:
- Pick one of the tools mentioned and install it or open it in your browser
- Describe a simple app you'd like to have — a task list, a habit tracker, a tip calculator
- Read the generated code and ask the AI to explain the parts you don't understand
- Request a change — change a color, add a new feature, modify some text
- Repeat with something slightly more complex each time
The goal isn't to understand everything from the start. The goal is to start building and learn in the process.
Conclusion
Vibe Coding isn't the future — it's the present. It represents a genuine shift in how software gets built: faster, more accessible, and increasingly driven by intent rather than syntax.
Use it as a launching pad, not a crutch. Build, ask questions, learn, break things. That curiosity is what separates a developer who grows from one who stagnates.
"The best way to learn to code has always been by building things. Vibe Coding just makes that first step a lot smaller."
Have you tried any Vibe Coding tools? What was your experience? Tell me in the comments.
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