Coined by Andrej Karpathy in early 2025, vibe coding is a term that’s been buzzing through coding and even non-coding communities. It’s a playful yet sensible enough way to describe a new approach to software development where you don’t wrestle with syntax or debug lines of code for hours. Instead, you talk to an AI, describe what you want in plain English (or even by voice), and let it churn out the code for you. And not just churn out the code, but also entire websites and web applications. The focus is on strategic direction, not hands-on implementation.
This blog is all about vibe coding. We show what it is and how it works, and provide some of the best vibe coding tools that you can get.
Understanding Vibe Coding
Vibe coding is to use AI-powered/LLM-powered tools to generate code based on natural language prompts. You don’t need to know Python, JavaScript, or C++ to create a working app. You just need an idea and the ability to describe it clearly. Karpathy described it as “giving in to the vibes, embracing exponentials, and forgetting that the code even exists.” It’s less about crafting precise instructions and more about guiding an AI to translate your vision into reality.
For example, imagine you want to build a website that shows local coffee shop ratings based on user reviews. In traditional coding, you’d spend hours learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, NextJS maybe a backend framework like Node.js, and a database like MongoDB. With vibe coding, you would just have tomight open an AI tool and say, “Create a high-end, functional website where users can rate coffee shops and see averages for their city.” The AI generates the code, sets up the structure, and maybe even suggests a database schema. Your job? Test it, tweak it, and keep talking to the AI until it’s exactly what you want (be cautious of the costs, though).
This shift is seismic. For decades, programming demanded technical expertise, years of practice, and a tolerance for frustration. Vibe coding lowers that barrier, making software creation accessible to anyone with a spark of creativity. It’s not perfect—AI-generated code can be buggy, and you might not fully understand what’s under the hood—but it’s a game-changer for prototyping, personal projects, and even professional workflows.
Why Vibe Coding Matters
Vibe coding isn’t just a tech trend; it’s an industrial shift. It democratizes creation in a way we haven’t seen since the rise of no-code platforms like Webflow or Bubble. Those tools let non-coders build apps through drag-and-drop interfaces, but they often came with rigid templates and steep learning curves. Vibe coding goes further by using AI’s flexibility. You’re not constrained by a platform’s presets—you can describe anything, from a quirky game to a hyper-specific productivity tool.
For non-coders, vibe coding is empowering. New York Times journalist Kevin Roose, a self-professed non-programmer, used vibe coding to build “software for one”—personalized tools like an app called LunchBox Buddy that suggested school lunches based on his fridge contents. These aren’t blockbuster apps; they’re niche solutions for individual needs, something traditional software development rarely prioritizes.
For developers, vibe coding is a productivity booster. Instead of writing boilerplate code or googling syntax, you can focus on high-level design and problem-solving. A 2025 report from Y Combinator noted that 25% of startups in their Winter batch had codebases that were 95% AI-generated, showing how even professionals are leaning into this approach for speed and agility.
But it’s not all rosy. Critics warn that vibe coding can lead to “technical debt”—code that works but is messy, insecure, or hard to maintain. Without understanding the code, you might miss bugs or vulnerabilities. As developer Simon Willison put it, “Vibe coding your way to a production codebase is clearly risky.” Yet, for many, the trade-off is worth it, especially for quick prototypes or low-stakes projects.
How Vibe Coding Works
Vibe coding is an iterative, conversational process. Here’s the basic flow:
- Describe Your Idea: You tell the AI what you want in natural language. The clearer your prompt, the better the result. For example, “Build a to-do list app with a clean design and a feature to mark tasks as urgent.”
- AI Generates Code: The tool—powered by an LLM like Claude, ChatGPT, or a specialized platform like Bind AI—writes the code, often including front-end, back-end, and database components.
- Test and Refine: You run the code to see if it works. If it doesn’t, or if you want changes, you tell the AI, “Fix this error” or “Add a dark mode toggle.” The AI adjusts the code based on your feedback.
- Iterate: You keep tweaking, testing, and prompting until the app matches your vision. It’s less like coding and more like sculpting—shaping the AI’s output step by step.
The magic lies in the AI’s ability to understand intent and context. If you hit an error, you can copy-paste the message into the tool, and it’ll suggest a fix. If you’re vague, it might still produce something usable, filling in gaps with reasonable assumptions. This flexibility makes vibe coding feel intuitive, even for beginners.
Top 7 Vibe Coding Tools
The vibe coding ecosystem is growing fast, with tools designed for different skill levels and use cases. Here are some of the most popular ones in 2025, based on their features and user feedback:
1. Cursor
A favorite among developers, Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built on VS Code. Its Composer feature lets you chat with the AI to generate entire apps, debug errors, or refactor code. It’s great for both beginners and pros because it integrates seamlessly with your workflow and supports voice commands for hands-free coding.
2. Bind AI IDE
Bind AI IDE is a versatile AI-powered IDE that allows developers to generate, execute, and debug code efficiently across multiple programming languages. It supports personalized native GitHub integration, over 72 languages, and every advanced model you can ask for. With features like live previews for web pages and HTML emails, it’s ideal for creating front-end applications using frameworks like React and Tailwind CSS. But if you want something lighter and more fun, try Vibecoder.DIY (also by Bind AI).
3. Replit Agent
Replit’s online IDE has a vibe coding mode called Ghostwriter, which can build full-stack apps from a single prompt. It’s beginner-friendly, with a built-in preview to see your app live, and it handles deployment so you can share your project instantly.
4. Claude Code
Developed by Anthropic, Claude Code excels at understanding existing codebases. It “remembers” your project in a markdown file, making it ideal for iterative development. However, it’s pricier, with high token usage for complex tasks.
5. GitHub Copilot
Once a code-completion tool, Copilot has evolved into a conversational assistant. Its “Copilot X” chat mode lets you describe features or debug issues, making it a solid choice for vibe coding within familiar editors like VS Code.
6. Bolt.new
A newer player, Bolt.new focuses on speed, letting you prompt, run, edit, and deploy apps in minutes. It’s tailored for quick prototypes and has a clean interface for non-coders.
7. ChatGPT
While not a dedicated coding tool, ChatGPT’s versatility makes it a go-to for many vibe coders. You can ask it to write snippets, explain errors, or even generate full programs. Its Code Interpreter mode lets you run code directly, which is handy for testing.
Each tool has its strengths. Cursor and Claude shine for complex projects, Replit and Bolt.new are great for beginners, and ChatGPT is a jack-of-all-trades. Most offer free tiers, so you can experiment without committing.
How to Start Vibe Coding: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to try vibe coding? You don’t need a computer science degree or a fancy setup—just a computer, an internet connection, and a willingness to experiment. Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to building your first vibe-coded project, a simple to-do list web app.
Step 1: Pick a Tool
For this guide, let’s use Replit, as it’s free, browser-based, and intuitive. Go to VibeCoder.diy or Bind AI IDE, sign up for a free account (for Bind AI IDE), and create a new project. Choose the “HTML/CSS/JS” template to keep things web-focused.
Step 2: Define Your Project
Start small. We’ll build a to-do list app where users can add tasks, mark them as complete, and delete them. Open Replit’s AI chat panel (look for “Ghostwriter” or “Agent” in the interface).
Step 3: Write Your First Prompt
In the AI chat, type:
“Create a simple to-do list web app. It should have a text input to add tasks, a button to submit them, and a list to display tasks. Each task should have a checkbox to mark it as complete and a delete button. Make it look clean with a modern design.”
Hit enter. The AI will generate code—HTML for structure, CSS for styling, and JavaScript for functionality. Replit will place these in files like index.html, style.css, and script.js.
Step 4: Test the App
Replit’s webview lets you see your app live. Click the “Run” button or check the preview pane. You should see a text box, a button, and an empty task list. Try adding a task. Does it appear? Can you check it off or delete it?
Step 5: Refine and Debug
If something’s off—say, the delete button doesn’t work—tell the AI:
“The delete button isn’t removing tasks. Can you fix it?”
Or if you want a feature:
“Add a button to clear all completed tasks.”
The AI will update the code. If you get an error, copy-paste it into the chat with, “What’s this error, and how do I fix it?” Most tools are great at debugging.
Step 6: Polish the Design
Want a better look? Prompt:
“Make the app use a dark theme with rounded buttons and a sans-serif font.”
The AI will tweak the CSS. Keep iterating until you’re happy.
Step 7: Share or Deploy
Replit lets you deploy your app to a public URL. Click the “Deploy” button, and you’ll get a link to share with friends or add to your portfolio. Congrats—you just vibe-coded your first app!
Tips for Success
- Be Specific: Vague prompts lead to vague results. Instead of “make a website,” say “make a website with a blue navbar and a contact form.”
- Break It Down: Big projects overwhelm AI and humans alike. Prompt for one feature at a time—e.g., “add user login” before “add profile pictures.”
- Test Often: Run the code after every change to catch issues early.
- Ask Questions: If you don’t understand something, ask the AI, “Explain how this code works” or “Why did you use this function?”
- Have Fun: Vibe coding is about creativity. Don’t stress about perfection—enjoy the process.
The Pros and Cons of Vibe Coding
Like any tool, vibe coding has strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a balanced look:
Pros
- Accessibility: Anyone can build software, from artists to entrepreneurs.
- Speed: Prototypes that took weeks now take hours.
- Creativity: You focus on ideas, not syntax, unlocking new possibilities.
- Learning: Beginners pick up coding concepts naturally by seeing AI’s output.
Cons
- Bugs and Errors: AI code isn’t always perfect, and fixing it can be tricky if you don’t understand programming.
- Security Risks: Without scrutiny, AI-generated code might have vulnerabilities, especially for public-facing apps.
- Limited Control: Complex or highly customized projects may frustrate you if the AI misinterprets your intent.
- Dependency: Relying on AI might make it harder to learn traditional coding if you want to go deeper.
For personal projects, the pros often outweigh the cons. For enterprise software, vibe coding is better as a starting point, with human oversight for polish and security.
Real-World Vibe Coding Stories
Vibe coding is already making waves. Beyond Kevin Roose’s LunchBox Buddy, here are a few examples:
- A Teacher’s Tool: A high school teacher used Replit to vibe-code a quiz app tailored to her history class. She described the questions and scoring system, and the AI built it in an afternoon. Her students loved the interactive format.
- A Startup Prototype: A founder with no coding experience used Cursor to create a minimum viable product (MVP) for a fitness tracking app. It wasn’t production-ready, but it impressed investors enough to secure seed funding.
- A Hobby Game: A teenager used Bolt.new to build a retro-style space shooter. By describing levels, enemies, and power-ups, he had a playable game in a weekend, shared it online, and got feedback to improve it.
These stories show vibe coding’s range—from practical tools to creative outlets. It’s not about replacing developers but amplifying what’s possible.
The Bottom Line
Vibe coding is an open invitation to create. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to bring your ideas to life, as it must be clear by now. Whether you’re looking to develop an app to organize your daily tasks, design a game to share with friends, or create a prototype for your startup, vibe coding lets you take charge. It’s not about getting it perfect; it’s about exploring possibilities.
So, what’s your vibe? Grab a tool like Replit or Vibecoder.DIY, jot down your idea, and start shaping it. You might be amazed at what you can create—and how much enjoyment you’ll find in the process.