Vibe Coding
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding refers to using AI-powered prototyping tools (like Replit, V0, Bolt, Lovable, and WindSurf) to build software by describing what you want in plain English rather than writing traditional code syntax. The user interface has changed from writing archaic syntax to conversing with an LLM, but the underlying engineering skills remain essential.
Understanding what to build, how to structure it, database modeling, and debugging are still critical for success—vibe coding just changes how we communicate those decisions to the computer.
When is vibe coding most valuable?
Vibe coding is particularly powerful for assumption testing. Teams can rapidly build interactive prototypes in hours or days rather than the weeks that traditional prototyping tools required.
This speed enables product teams to test assumptions with real, working prototypes before investing in production code. Engineers who previously resisted building throwaway prototypes ("You want me to build something I'm just going to throw away?") can now use vibe coding to quickly create testable experiences.
When teams kick off development sprints, they can provide engineers with interactive prototypes of exactly what to build—prototypes that have already been assumption tested and validated with customers.
Do you still need engineering skills for vibe coding?
Yes. While it's true that the interface has changed, the cost to build hasn't gone to zero—it's still engineering work.
Engineering knowledge remains critical for:
- Deciding what to build and how to structure it
- Guiding database modeling and architecture decisions
- Debugging when the AI agent gets stuck or produces garbage
- Understanding how different components should work together
If you leave all architectural and structural decisions to the LLM without guidance, you'll likely struggle. The same skills you learned for traditional programming are necessary for effective vibe coding—you're just expressing them through natural language instead of code syntax.
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