Prompting Tips for Vibe Coding
Vibe coding, a term coined by Andrej Karpathy in February 2025, involves using AI to generate code through natural language prompts. Below are key tips for effective prompting, originally shared by Matt Palmer on Replit.
Tip
Description
Example In-Practice
Checkpoint
Build in chunks, use rollbacks, avoid rewriting failed prompts
Find a point where the app “just works” then experiment. If you go down a bad path, rollback
Debug
Find root causes methodically, give LLMs relevant error context
Start high-level: “There is an error on the frontend”, then drill-down as needed to provide context
Discover
Ask what YOU don’t know; you don’t know what you don’t know
“What are some good options for a drag-and-drop interface in React?”
Experiment
Test different prompts, formats, and models; change what’s not working
Experiment with passing the URL, wireframes, screenshots, or text to get better results
Instruct
Tell models what TO do, not what NOT to do
“Please add more padding to the button” instead of “Don’t make the padding too small”
Select
Be selective with AI suggestions, avoid conflicting details
Ensure your instructions follow a cohesive train of thought. Focus on one feature at a time
Show
Attach screenshots and images, use full-file context snippets, and sample data
Attach screenshots and images, use our Element Selector for visual edits
Simplify
Keep prompts concise, pretend you’re instructing a new colleague
Write instructions a human could follow. Focus on breaking down everything simply and logically
Think
Define the outputs precisely, consider edge cases upfront
“Please make the app responsive and mobile friendly. I’d like it to work well on my iPhone”
Tips by Matt Palmer, Head of Developer Relations at Replit. Learn more in the DeepLearning.AI course “Vibe Coding 101 with Replit”, published March 26, 2025.
Continue exploring the Vibe Coding series: