I recently decided to test the absolute limits of "Vibe Coding." I wanted to know: Can I build a robust platform of micro-applications without ever acting like a traditional engineer?
To find out, I built the AppZoo.
The Rules of the Experiment: I set a strict constraint for myself: Zero Manual Code Inspection.
If Gemini wrote a React component, I wasn't allowed to audit the syntax.
If Copilot suggested a Terraform configuration, I had to deploy it as-is.
My role was limited to "Product Manager" and "QA." I could only verify the behavior, not the implementation.
The "Blind Trust" Methodology. Since I couldn't read the code to find bugs, I had to rely on a spectrum of verification:
The Logic Check (Math): For the Dual Fuel Calculator, I built a model in a spreadsheet first to know what the answers should be. I then fed the requirements to Gemini. Surprisingly, the AI didn't just match my spreadsheet—it refined the logic, handling the temperature cutoff points with better precision than my manual model. I verified the output and trusted the code to get there.
The Vibe Check (Visuals): For the Fractal Explorer or the Video-to-GIF Converter, the test plan was experiential. If the fractal zoomed smoothly, or if the GIF rendered quickly, it passed.
The Architecture: Sandbox Security Running uninspected AI code sounds dangerous—because it is. To mitigate this, I used the AI to build a Domain Isolation Model via Terraform.
Every micro-app lives on its own subdomain (e.g., zork.appzoo..., dualfuel.appzoo...).
This leverages the browser's Same-Origin Policy. If the AI accidentally wrote a vulnerability into the Zork clone, it cannot access the cookies or LocalStorage of the main parent site.
The entire "Zoo" is 100% client-side. There is no backend to hack.
The Friction points: It wasn't magic. The AI frequently got stuck in "circular reasoning" loops, proposing the same broken fix three times in a row.
The Fix: I learned that "model switching" is the best debugger. When Gemini Pro got stuck, I’d switch Copilot to a different underlying model to snap it out of the loop.
The Result: The result is a collection of 13 working apps, ranging from practical tools (Heat Pump cost analysis) to pure toys (Infinite Zork, 3D CSS Studios).
It’s messy, it definitely has bugs I haven't found yet, but it exists.
You can enter the Zoo here: https://appzoo.natnlabs.com
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