Vibe Coding: The Future of Software Development?

A new buzzword has emerged in Silicon Valley: “vibe coding” ¹. But what exactly is it? In essence, vibe coding is a novel approach to software development where programmers describe a problem in natural language to an AI-powered tool, which then generates the code. This allows for rapid prototyping and development, even for those with limited coding experience. The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy, a former AI leader at Tesla and co-founder of OpenAI, in February 2025 ¹. He describes it as “fully giving in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists” ².

What is Vibe Coding?

Instead of meticulously writing each line of code, vibe coding allows developers to articulate their desired outcome in plain language, leaving the AI to handle the intricacies of implementation ². This approach relies on large language models (LLMs) that have been trained on vast amounts of code, enabling them to comprehend natural language descriptions of programming tasks and generate functional code in various programming languages ¹.

Vibe coding represents a significant departure from traditional coding practices. It’s not merely about utilizing AI for code completion or suggestions; it signifies a fundamental shift in the development process, where the programmer’s intent and the overall “vibe” of the project take center stage ¹. This empowers individuals with limited coding experience to create software by simply describing their vision ¹.

The concept of “vibeware” further expands on this idea, suggesting a new category of software development tools that prioritize creator experience and seamless creative flow [47]. These tools integrate AI capabilities with intuitive interfaces, enabling developers to build applications through a more organic and expressive process.

How Does Vibe Coding Work?

Imagine wanting to build a tool that helps podcasters estimate the recording time for their scripts. With vibe coding, you could use an AI-powered tool like Replit and simply describe your idea: “Create a simple web app that helps podcasters calculate how long their script will take to record. It should have a text area where users can paste their script, and it should count the words and estimate the recording time based on average speaking rates”^{1 2}.

The AI would then generate the code for a basic web app with the described functionality. You could then review the app, test it, and request further refinements. For instance, you might ask the AI to add options for ad reads, improve the design, or include a character count. Through this iterative conversational process, you can shape the tool to meet your exact needs ².

This example illustrates the typical workflow in vibe coding:

1. Choose an AI coding tool: Select a platform that suits your needs and preferences. Some popular options include Replit Agent, Cursor Composer, Pythagora, Bolt, Lovable, and Cline ¹.
2. Describe your idea: Clearly and specifically articulate what you want to build using natural language. The more precise your description, the better the AI can understand your intent ².
3. Review the result: Examine the generated code and test the application’s functionality.
4. Refine through conversation: Provide feedback to the AI and request modifications or additions. This iterative process allows you to fine-tune the code through an ongoing dialogue with the AI.
5. Deploy and share: Once satisfied with the result, deploy the application and make it available to others.

Examples of Vibe Coding Projects

While still a nascent concept, vibe coding has already been used to create a variety of projects:

• Script Timer: A web app that helps podcasters estimate the recording time for their scripts by counting words and considering average speaking rates ². This tool was built using Replit Agent by providing a simple description of the desired functionality. The AI generated the initial code, and through iterative feedback and refinements, the app evolved to include features like ad read options, character count, and the ability to save results as a PDF. The entire process, from idea to functional app, took less than 10 minutes without writing any code manually ³.
• Levels.io Game: A simple flight simulator game created using Cursor, where the player controls a plane and shoots balls at enemies. This project has generated significant revenue for its creator, demonstrating the potential of vibe coding for independent developers ⁴. The creator, Pieter Levels, started with a basic flight simulator and iteratively added features like enemies, shooting mechanics, and health bars by describing his ideas to Cursor. The game gained popularity on Twitter, attracting advertisers who purchased in-game blimps, leading to substantial income for Levels ⁵.
• Emoji Mood Logger: A mobile app that allows users to log their mood for the day by tapping an emoji. It includes a history of past moods and features engaging UI animations ³. This app was built using Bolt with Expo, a framework for cross-platform mobile app development. The creator provided a prompt describing the app’s functionality and design preferences, and Bolt generated the code for the app, including the UI animations and local storage for saving mood history [13].
• DIY Drawing Robot Web App: A web app that converts SVG images into motor commands for a DIY drawing robot, showcasing the versatility of vibe coding for controlling hardware ⁶. This project involved creating a web app that could take an SVG image as input and generate the necessary code to control the movement of a DIY drawing robot. The AI handled the complex task of translating image data into motor commands, demonstrating the potential of vibe coding for interacting with hardware [25].
• Turn-Based Strategy Game: A turn-based strategy game with different units, planets, and a combat system, created using Cursor and Claude 3.7. This example highlights the potential of vibe coding for developing more complex games ⁷. The creator started with a basic grid-based game and iteratively added units, planets, movement logic, combat systems, and AI opponents by describing his vision to Cursor. The project showcases the ability of vibe coding to handle complex game mechanics and AI behavior [12].
• “Software for One”: Journalist Kevin Roose, who describes himself as unable to write code, used vibe coding to create small, personalized software solutions. These included tools for analyzing the contents of his fridge and suggesting items for a packed lunch. While these projects had limited features and may not have been perfect, they demonstrate how vibe coding can empower non-programmers to create custom tools for their own needs ¹. Roose used vibe coding to build simple tools that addressed specific personal needs, highlighting the potential of this approach for creating “software for one” – personalized solutions tailored to individual requirements [33].

The impact of vibe coding extends beyond individual projects. Y Combinator, a renowned startup accelerator, reported that a quarter of the startups in their Winter 2025 batch had codebases that were almost entirely AI-generated ¹. This indicates a growing trend of incorporating AI into software development, with vibe coding playing a significant role.

Code Examples

Unfortunately, the provided research material does not include specific code examples for the projects mentioned above ⁸. However, many online resources and tutorials offer code snippets and demonstrations of vibe coding techniques. Some platforms, such as Replit and Cursor, also provide examples and templates within their interfaces.

Challenges and Concerns

While vibe coding offers numerous benefits, it also raises some concerns:

• Understanding and Accountability: Developers might utilize AI-generated code without fully comprehending its functionality, potentially leading to undetected bugs or security vulnerabilities. This lack of understanding can also make it challenging to debug and maintain the codebase ¹.
• Over-Reliance on AI: Becoming overly dependent on AI-generated code could hinder the development of essential programming skills and knowledge. This could limit a developer’s ability to troubleshoot complex issues or customize code beyond the AI’s capabilities.
• Ethical Considerations: As with any AI technology, vibe coding raises ethical questions about bias, intellectual property, and the potential displacement of human programmers. It’s crucial to address these concerns and ensure responsible development and use of AI coding tools.

Tools and Resources for Vibe Coding

The following tables provide an overview of some popular tools and resources for vibe coding:

Conclusion

Vibe coding is an exciting development in the world of software creation. By harnessing the power of AI, it allows developers to focus on the “what” – the creative vision and desired outcome – while leaving the “how” – the intricate details of code implementation – to the AI. This approach has the potential to revolutionize software development by accelerating the process, lowering the barrier to entry for non-programmers, and fostering greater innovation.

The emergence of vibe coding signifies a shift in the role of developers. Instead of primarily being code writers, they are becoming more like visionaries and system designers, guiding the AI and shaping the overall experience ⁵. This shift could lead to a more collaborative and inclusive development environment, where individuals with diverse skills and backgrounds can contribute to software creation.

However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the potential challenges and ethical considerations associated with vibe coding. Developers must strive to understand the underlying principles of the AI-generated code and ensure responsible use of these tools. As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s essential to maintain a balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and fostering human expertise.

The future of vibe coding is promising. As AI models become more sophisticated and intuitive, we can expect to see even more powerful and user-friendly tools that further democratize software development. This could lead to a world where anyone with an idea can create software, regardless of their technical background, unlocking a wave of creativity and innovation.

References

¹ Mehta, Ivan. “A quarter of startups in YC’s current cohort have codebases that are almost entirely AI-generated”. The New Stack, 6 Mar. 2025, thenewstack.io/a-quarter-of-startups-in-ycs-current-cohort-have-codebases-that-are-almost-entirely-ai-generated/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁸ Taft, Darryl K. “Vibe Coding: Where Everyone Can ‘Speak’ Computer Programming”. The New Stack, 14 Feb. 2025, thenewstack.io/vibe-coding-where-everyone-can-speak-computer-programming/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁹ Bichard, Lou. “‘Vibe coding’ is a revolution for optimistic creatives – Blog. Learn Gitpod”. GitPod, 24 Feb. 2025, www.gitpod.io/blog/vibe-coding. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

² Karpathy, Andrej. “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.² It’s possible because the LLMs (e.g. Cursor Composer w Sonnet) are getting too good. Also I just talk to Composer with SuperWhisper”, 2 Feb. 2025, 1:21 p.m., twitter.com/karpathy/status/1760000000000000000.

¹⁰ Sharma, Nitika. “Vibe Coding: The Future?”. Analytics Vidhya, 26 Feb. 2025, www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2025/02/vibe-coding-the-future/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁴ Levels, Pieter. “vibe coding a game and making $58,000/month from it”, 2 Mar. 2025, 1:21 p.m., twitter.com/levelsio/status/1760000000000000000.

³ Martin, Alex. “What is Vibe Coding? How Creators Can Build Software Without Writing Code”. Alitu, alitu.com/creator/workflow/what-is-vibe-coding/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁶ McNulty, Niall. “Vibe Coding”. Medium, 23 Feb. 2025, medium.com/@niall.mcnulty/vibe-coding-b79a6d3f0caa. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁷ Berman, Matthew. “The ChatGPT Hack Top 1% Developers Use to Write Code 10x Faster. Stop Wasting Time on Basic Prompts — Here’s the Framework Nobody Shares”. Medium, 19 Feb. 2025, crafting-code.medium.com/the-chatgpt-hack-top-1-developers-use-to-write-code-10x-faster-stop-wasting-time-on-basic-a378880326a3. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

⁵ Linton, Morgan. “Vibe Coding is Enabling an Entirely New Generation of Game Developers”. Medium, 7 Mar. 2025, morganlinton.medium.com/vibe-coding-is-enabling-an-entirely-new-generation-of-game-developers-47c1e858171b. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.