TL;DR 🚀
Vibe coding is the art of blending AI with human creativity to speed up software development.
Why it matters: Instead of 10+ months of traditional dev cycles, vibe coding accelerates idea validation, prototyping, and iteration.
Types of vibe coders:
Full Vibe - AI builds it all (fast but risky).
Partial Vibe - AI assists, you still shape core features.
Blended Vibe - You code but lean on AI for optimization/snippets.
Success keys: Iterative approach + clear prompt engineering are must-haves. Add testing, version control, guardrails, and reviews to vibe like a pro.
Pros & cons: Full vibe = speed, no effort, but weak debugging & security. Blended = slower but robust & secure. Choose based on your background and needs.
Risks: Don't leak business secrets AI is a tool, not a vault.
My take: Learn the basics, adapt to AI, and use it to amplify creativity, not replace it.
Over the past months, I've been diving deep into the world of Vibe Coding, building on my previous exploration in Vibe Coding vs. Professional Coding: A Developer's Honest Take. In that post, I looked at the differences between traditional professional coding and the more relaxed, AI-assisted vibe coding approach.
In this blog, I want to share some fresh and interesting insights I've uncovered during my recent experiments. But before we dive in, let's take a quick refresher:
Vibe Coding is essentially coding with vibes, not just syntax. It's a way of blending human creativity with the assistance of AI/LLMs, letting you focus on ideas, flow, and problem-solving, while AI helps handle repetitive tasks, boilerplate code, or even gives you clever suggestions you might never have thought of.
Whether you're a beginner who wants a working project in an afternoon, a slightly lazy developer who enjoys efficiency, or a pro who still copy-pastes code snippets, vibe coding can make the process faster, more enjoyable, and yes less headache-inducing.
In this post, I'll walk you through my recent discoveries, practical experiences, and real-world benefits of vibe coding, so you can see how it's reshaping the way we code.
Identifying the Three Types of Vibe Coders
Before we dive in, it's important to know who we're talking to. I've split the audience into three categories so it's easier to follow along:
Non-Tech Beginner (Full Vibe):
People with little to no prior coding experience who want to start building projects quickly with AI assistance.
Working Developer Who Is Lazy (Partial Vibe):
Coders who know programming but prefer efficiency, using AI to handle repetitive tasks and speed up their workflow.
Pro Developer Who Still Copy-Pastes Snippets (Blended Vibe):
Experienced developers who have the skills but occasionally rely on AI or existing code snippets to optimize or accelerate their work.
This way, as you read through the blog, you can immediately identify which advice or insights apply to your type and focus on what's relevant to you.
Why Vibe Coding?
Imagine you're working on a client project. Traditionally, completing a project involves multiple phases think Agile-style workflow:
- Understanding Client Requirements — Gathering what the client actually wants.
- Planning & Design — Outlining features, architecture, and UI/UX.
- Prototyping — Creating initial mockups or demo versions.
- Development — Writing the actual code, integrating features.
- Testing & QA — Debugging and ensuring everything works.
- Client Review — Presenting the work for approval.
- Iteration — Implementing feedback from the client.
- Deployment — Launching the project.
- Maintenance — Fixing bugs or making small updates post-launch.
- Final Handover & Documentation — Delivering everything and documenting the process.
Traditionally, this cycle can take months, sometimes up to 10 months or more, depending on complexity and revisions. Each phase, especially prototyping and feedback, can slow things down.
Here's where Vibe Coding changes the game. With AI-assisted coding, idea generation, prototyping, and early iterations become faster and easier. For example:
- You can build a functional website or app mockup in a day.
- Show it to your client immediately.
- Adjust features or design based on their feedback almost instantly.
This rapid prototyping means the client sees working results early and often, reducing misunderstandings and repeated cycles. Instead of waiting weeks for each phase, you can compress the project timeline from 10 months to 4–5 months, while keeping quality high and creativity intact.
In short, Vibe Coding accelerates the entire development lifecycle by turning what used to be long, abstract planning and iterations into tangible, flexible, and client-friendly prototypes making the whole process faster, smoother, and more enjoyable.
How to Vibe Code
So, how do you actually start vibe coding? Let's break it down by coder type:
1. Full Vibe Coders (Non-Tech Beginners)
For full vibe coders, the goal is idea → working project without worrying about technical details. Platforms like Lovable, Bold, or Repl.it let you create a website with just a single prompt. All you need is an idea, and everything else design, layout, code is handled by the AI.
Example: Imagine someone who wants to launch a company website by tomorrow but has no technical background, no time, and no budget. With vibe coding, they can type their vision into one of these platforms and have a functional website ready to show without touching a single line of complex code.
2. Partial Vibe Coders (Working Developers Who Are Lazy)
Partial vibe coders already know how to code but prefer efficiency. Tools like Cursor, Gemini Code Assist, or Zencoder are perfect here. You can write the base code and let AI handle repetitive tasks, generate suggestions, or speed up feature addition.
Example: You've built a basic app, but now need to add multiple features, tweak functionality, and test repeatedly. Instead of manually repeating boilerplate or hunting for patterns, the AI handles it. Personally, I've been using these tools recently it's amazing how much time you save when you're too lazy to repeat the same stuff over and over!
3. Blended Vibe Coders (Pro Developers Who Copy-Paste Snippets)
Even seasoned developers can benefit from vibe coding. Here, AI becomes a smart assistant: helping you optimize code, generate secure snippets, or overcome tricky blocks. Tools like GPT, Gemini, and Grok can provide suggestions, improve efficiency, or handle repetitive parts while you focus on high-level design and security.
Example: You're writing a complex function, but you need an optimized, secure snippet. Instead of reinventing it, you can prompt an AI to generate a ready-to-use version. You still do the coding, but with stronger security, better performance, and less frustration.
In short: vibe coding adapts to your level and workflow. Whether you're a complete newbie, a lazy developer, or a pro looking to accelerate work, there's a tool and approach that fits your vibe. The goal is always the same work smarter, iterate faster, and enjoy coding more.
Pro Tips for Effective Vibe Coding
If you want to truly master vibe coding, there are a few key practices that make all the difference. These come straight from experience, and they can help you avoid common pitfalls while maximizing the AI's potential.
1. Iterative Approach is Key
One of the most important lessons in vibe coding is never overload the AI with everything at once. If you give it a massive set of features or a long project brief, it can get overwhelmed and fail to deliver.
Here's a better way:
- Set up the AI as a professional coder first. Give clear roles and responsibilities.
- Build the architecture or folder structure before diving into coding. This sets a solid foundation.
- Break tasks into iterations. For example, if your project has 10 features, split them into two halves: build the first half, test it, then move on to the second. This approach works for all types of vibe coders full, partial, or blended.
Iterative development ensures better quality, easier debugging, and smoother integration. You're not just building faster you're building smarter.
2. Prompt Engineering Matters
The prompts you give the AI are critical to success. Clear, structured prompts yield far better results than vague instructions.
- Be explicit about what you want. Detail the functionality, expected output, and context.
- Use structured formats like JSON. I've found JSON prompting particularly effective because it keeps instructions organized. Even if you provide a large set of instructions, the AI won't miss anything if it's structured properly.
- Refine iteratively. Start with a base prompt, then tweak based on output to get closer to your desired result.
Good prompting is the difference between AI producing something usable immediately and something that requires hours of cleanup.
⚡ Other Practical Tips
Above two things iterative approach and clear prompt engineering are the most important foundations of vibe coding. Once you master those, the following practices will help you level up and code like a pro:
- Test as you go. Don't wait until the end run your code after each iteration. Catching errors early saves hours of frustration.
- Leverage AI wisely. Use AI for boilerplate, optimization, or alternative solutions but always review. You're the final architect.
- Balance speed with fundamentals. Vibe coding gives flow, but grounding yourself in basics ensures you know why something breaks.
- Version control is your safety net. Use Git aggressively commit small, commit often. If your vibes derail, you always have a checkpoint.
- Add guardrails. Whether it's linters, test cases, or security scanners, small guardrails prevent sloppy AI output from slipping into production.
- Keep prompts modular. Break down requests instead of asking the AI to build everything at once. Smaller, sharper prompts = cleaner results.
- Audit your code. Don't just check if it runs scan for performance bottlenecks, hidden bugs, or dependencies you didn't intend to add.
- Think maintainability. Code isn't just about today's vibe make it readable and clean so Future You (or your teammates) can actually use it.
💡 Bottom Line: Effective vibe coding isn't just about having AI generate code it's about strategic planning, clear prompts, iterative development, and constant review. By following these practices, you can harness AI efficiently, reduce errors, and make coding a more enjoyable, productive experience.
The Bright Side & The Dark Side of Each Vibe Coder
Every coder has their own style, and vibe coding just amplifies it. Some fly through projects like Formula 1 drivers, others cruise like they're on a Sunday road trip. Here's what makes each type shine and where they might skid off the road.
1. Full Vibe Coders (Beginners, No Tech Background)
Advantages:
- Can get working results with zero technical baggage.
- Perfect for quick prototypes, demos, and last-minute "I need a site by tomorrow" requests.
- Makes coding accessible to literally anyone with an idea.
Disadvantages:
- Struggle to debug when something breaks.
- Systems may be fragile or insecure.
- Growth as a developer can plateau since they skip fundamentals.
2. Partial Vibe Coders (Working Developers, Lazy Mode Activated)
Advantages:
- Offload repetitive, boring tasks to AI.
- Speed up prototyping and testing of new features.
- Balance human logic with AI shortcuts.
Disadvantages:
- Risk of skipping best practices ("I'll fix it later… never").
- May end up with spaghetti code if not careful.
- Over-reliance can reduce problem-solving stamina.
3. Blended Vibe Coders (Pro Devs, Copy-Paste Enthusiasts)
Advantages:
- Strong foundation to evaluate AI suggestions critically.
- Build secure, scalable, and maintainable systems.
- Use AI selectively to boost productivity without compromising quality.
Disadvantages:
- Tend to be slower than full-vibe coders.
- Might underuse AI due to old habits.
- Spend more effort balancing robustness with speed.
💡 Summary:
- Full Vibe Coders: Fast but fragile.
- Partial Vibe Coders: Efficient but inconsistent.
- Blended Vibe Coders: Robust but slower.
⚖️ Ethical Considerations: Balancing Vibes with Fundamentals
Now, before we all run off to vibe our way into the next billion-dollar app, let's pump the brakes for a second. Like any tool, vibe coding comes with responsibilities.
- Over-Reliance on AI: If you let the AI do everything, you risk becoming a passenger instead of a driver. Sure, it feels good to cruise, but what happens when the GPS stops working?
- Skill Growth: Beginners can get amazing results without touching syntax, but skipping the basics means they might struggle in the long run when deeper debugging is needed.
- Security & Robustness: AI doesn't always think about long-term maintainability, performance optimization, or hidden vulnerabilities. That's where human oversight still matters.
And here's a big one that most people don't think about: privacy and intellectual property.
Imagine this: You're working at a company developing the "next big thing." If you vibe code directly with a cloud LLM and casually feed it all your project details, you may have just handed the AI your company's million-dollar idea. It's like whispering your secret recipe to a bartender who writes everything down in their notebook.
To make it even scarier if I go to that same AI tomorrow and ask, "Hey, give me code for [insert your company's product name]," it won't hand it over if I say the competitor's name. But your code is still out there, floating in the AI's training or memory. With the right questions, someone might stumble onto a goldmine of your hard work.
👉 The fix? Use local LLMs or private deployments for sensitive projects. That way, your vibes stay in-house and not on some server halfway across the globe.
The sweet spot is still this: Balance vibes with fundamentals. Let AI accelerate your work, but don't give away your crown jewels. Think of it as dancing with the AI let it spin you around, but don't hand it your wallet.
💭 My Honest Thoughts About Vibe Coding
I'll be straight with you so far, I've built several projects entirely through vibe coding. And honestly? I've been all three types at different times: full vibe when I just wanted something done fast, partial vibe when laziness kicked in, and blended vibe when I needed something solid and secure.
Here's my honest take: adapt to the trends. You can't really say, "I'll never use AI, I'll code everything myself." Why? Because even if you're a pro coder, these AI models are trained on data from the best developers out there. Sometimes, they genuinely come up with cleaner, faster solutions than we could alone.
That doesn't mean humans are out of the picture. Far from it. What makes us stand out is our brains and creativity. AI can mimic creativity, but only within the limits of the data it's trained on. We are the ones who imagine the new, the weird, the "this shouldn't work but let's try it anyway." AI is the tool that helps bring that imagination to life faster.
So, my honest opinion is this: vibe coding is excellent for trying out ideas and experimenting with crazy concepts. Want to spin up a prototype in hours instead of weeks? Vibe it. Want to test a wild feature before anyone else? Vibe it.
But here's the flip side:
- If you're from a non-tech background, vibe coding is still for you but please, get some guidance from experts. You don't need to become a pro, but you do need to know whether your system is secure and scalable.
- If you're from a tech background, learn and practice the basics. Even if you vibe code 90% of your project, knowing fundamentals will let you quickly spot where the problem is, or what might be causing an issue.
👉 Bottom line: Use the tools, but don't lose the craft. Learn the basics, adapt to the trends, and keep your creativity alive. That's how vibe coding becomes not just a shortcut, but a superpower.
🎯 Conclusion & Call to Action
So, what's the takeaway here? Vibe coding isn't just a trend it's a new way of building with AI as your co-pilot. Whether you're a beginner who vibes your way to a working app, a lazy-but-smart developer skipping repetitive tasks, or a pro coder fine-tuning robust systems, there's a place for you in this new wave.
But remember: tools don't replace thinking. AI can accelerate your workflow, but you're still the one in charge of direction, creativity, and decision-making. Learn the basics, balance vibes with fundamentals, and you'll not only build faster you'll build smarter.
Now, you might be wondering: "Okay, you said set a base for the agent, but how exactly do we do that?" That's where something I call Expert Lens Prompting comes in. It's basically a way to set roles, responsibilities, and structure for your AI before it even writes a line of code. Think of it like giving your AI teammate a job description before you let them touch the keyboard.
👉 I've been working on a project around this, and I'll be writing a full blog about it soon. So stay tuned because that's where we'll dive deeper into how to "train your AI" to act like a professional coder with a solid foundation.
In the meantime:
- Try vibe coding for yourself.
- Explore tools like Lovable, Replit, Cursor, ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini Code Assist.
- And most importantly share your vibe coding style. Are you full vibe, partial vibe, or blended vibe?
💡 The future of coding is about mixing human creativity with AI efficiency. Vibe coding lets us build more, worry less, and let's be honest have a lot more fun along the way.
So go on. Fire up your favorite AI tool, drop in your craziest idea, and see where the vibes take you.
🔗 Connect with Me
📖 Blog by Naresh B. A.
👨💻 Aspiring Full Stack Developer | Passionate about Machine Learning and AI Innovation
🌐 Portfolio: [Naresh B A]
📫 Let's connect on [LinkedIn] | GitHub: [Naresh B A]
💡 Thanks for reading! If you found this helpful, drop a like or share a comment feedback keeps the learning alive.❤️
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