Andrej Karpathy, a founding member of OpenAI, described vibe coding as a style where you “give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.” The newest trend in programming is to code without writing code, often termed “vibe coding.” This innovative method, where AI assistants generate code based on vague ideas, is rapidly gaining traction among developers. In the fall of 2024, I experimented with AI tools to revamp several personal projects, including creating a laptop’s graphical user interface (GUI). Despite limited programming knowledge, the AI-generated code worked seamlessly, underscoring the potential of vibe coding.
Vivek Naik, a licensed professional mechanical engineer, has successfully implemented vibe coding in his work. Naik is employed at a company that builds wire joining and tension systems for infrastructure projects. Despite not being a software engineer, he developed two software tools to assist non-engineering teams, such as sales.
Naik revisited an app he initially developed in C for the iPad. Converting it to a modern Web app seemed daunting, but he completed the task in just two hours with AI assistance. The AI-generated code significantly reduced his workload, highlighting the efficiency of vibe coding.
Khaled Touleyrou, a data engineering lead at Corewell Health, uses vibe coding to test new ideas quickly. Speed to ideation is crucial; with AI, he can rapidly develop proof of concepts. For instance, Touleyrou built a tool for his personal website using several cloud services he had never previously used.
Touleyrou emphasizes starting projects with a well-defined idea before using AI to generate code.
Engineers embrace AI for coding
The AI then shifts to an advisory role to assist with debugging and improving the code quality.
While vibe coding accelerates initial development, it requires a solid understanding of programming basics to ensure the final product’s quality. While Naik and Touleyrou have succeeded with vibe coding, some experts remain cautious. Raj Vohra, a software engineer with 25 years of experience, argues that literal vibe coding—coding without looking at the code—can be challenging.
He finds specifying tasks for AI sometimes more complex than traditional coding. Despite his critical view, Vohra uses AI assistants like Cursor for recommendations. He stresses that developers must understand the generated code to ensure its functionality and handle nuances the AI might miss.
Vibe coding offers engineers a novel way to develop and prototype software quickly. It can also be an effective method for learning new programming languages and technologies. However, it is essential to balance AI assistance with a thorough understanding of the code to ensure robust and reliable software development.
“My advice to junior engineers is, don’t just think of vibe coding as a speed improvement for a skill you already have. Think of it as an accelerator for gaining new skills,” says Vohra. “If you’re a front-end engineer aiming to become a full-stack engineer, vibe coding can help you achieve that goal much faster.”
Image Credits: Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash
Rashan is a seasoned technology journalist and visionary leader serving as the Editor-in-Chief of DevX.com, a leading online publication focused on software development, programming languages, and emerging technologies. With his deep expertise in the tech industry and her passion for empowering developers, Rashan has transformed DevX.com into a vibrant hub of knowledge and innovation. Reach out to Rashan at [email protected]
