Vibe Coding Isn't Dumb - You're Just Doing It Wrong
A practical guide for shipping apps with AI & minimal pain
Vibe coding gets a lot of hate, especially from "serious" devs. But the truth is, every project needs to be scalable, secure, or architected, like it's going public on the stock market.
Most of the time, you just want to turn your idea into a working app - fast. Here's how to do it without driving yourself insane. These aren't fancy tricks, just things that work.
1. Pick a Mainstream Tech Stack
If you're building a basic website, just use Wix, Framer, BlackBoxAI or any other site builder. You don't need to code it from scratch.
If you need a real web app:
- Use Next.js + Supabase.
Yes, Svelte is cool, Vue is nice, but none of that matters when you're trying to get something done. Next.js wins because it has the largest user base, the most examples online, and AI is more likely to get it right, your backend needs real Python.
If you're thinking about building a game:
- Learn Unity OR Unreal.
Trying to vibe-code a game in JavaScript is usually a dead end. Nobody's playing your THREE.js experiment. Be honest about what you're building.
2. Write a Simple PRD
You don't need a fancy spec doc. Just write a Product Requirement Document that does two things:
- Forces you to clarify what you actually want.
- Breaks the work into small, clear steps.
Think of it like hiring a contractor. If you can't write down what "done" looks like for Day 1 or Week 1, your AI won't know either.
Example Workflow:
Chat 1:
"Implement Step 1.1: Add Feature A"
Test it. Fix it. Then:
New Chat:
"Implement Step 2: Add Feature B"
3. Use Version Control
AI will eventually break your code. Period.
You need a way to roll back. Most tools have automatic checkpoints, but it's better to use Git. Manual commits force you to actually track progress, so when AI makes a mess, you'll know exactly where to revert.
4. Provide Working Code Samples
Don't assume AI will get third-party libraries or APIs right just from docs.
Before you start building a full feature, write a small working script that does the core thing (e.g., pull 10 Jira tickets!). Once it works, save it, and when you start the real task, pass it back into your AI prompts as a reference.
5. When Stuck, Start a New Chat
The "copy error → paste to chat → fix → new error → repeat" cycle is a trap.
When you hit the loop, stop. Open a fresh chat and tell the AI:
- What's broken.
- What you expect to happen.
- What you've already tried.
- Include logs, errors, screenshots.
The longer your chat history gets, the dumber the AI gets. A clean context and clear input often solves what endless retries won't.