Vibe Coding: The AI Revolution That's Changing Programming (and Breaking the Internet)

When Vibe Coding Goes Wrong: A Cautionary Tale

Let’s take a look at the dangers of Vibe coding without a safety net. One brave soul on the web managed to Vibe code an entire SaaS product, even achieving that mythical milestone: paying customers. For any indie developer, this is akin to slaying the dragon. However, in true internet fashion, this success brought unwanted attention. Trolls descended in droves, exploiting every security flaw. They maxed out API keys, bypassed subscription gates, and littered the database with nonsense chaos in digital form.

The developer, in a desperate postmortem, confessed: “Random things are happening. Maxed out usage on API keys. People bypassing the subscription. Creating random stuff in db. This is taking me longer than usual to figure out.” The relentless barrage ultimately forced their app offline, leaving them to “beg for their job back at Popeyes.” A hard lesson in the dangers of coding on vibes alone.

The Art and Science of (Real) Programming

This raises a central distinction: Coding is not Programming. Coding is the technical skill of writing instructions that a computer can execute. For decades, the best coders were those who could rattle off perfect C or JavaScript at blistering speeds, their hands a blur in VIM, their minds packed with arcane syntax.

But with the rise of large language models (LLMs), the game is changing. An eight year old with a knack for AI prompting can now “write” code faster than a grizzled veteran. Is coding dead? Not quite. But the true art of programming the domain of ingenuity, imagination, and seasoned judgment remains as vital as ever.

The best programmers often spend most of their time removing code, not adding it. They understand that building robust software is about restraint, clarity, and deep understanding. If you don’t grok the code you’re “vibing” out, you won’t get very far. This is programming as a creative discipline, a blend of sculpture and science. Trust us: even the Vibiest coder can’t fake their way past this reality.

Can Vibe Coding Actually Work? The Billion Dollar Question

When done properly, Vibe coding can win big. It’s only a matter of time before we see a billion dollar enterprise running purely on vibes, powered by lightning fast tools like V0 or Bolt, and next generation AI powered IDEs like Cursor and Windsurf. But how can you maximize your Vibe while minimizing disasters?

The Three Immutable Rules of Successful Vibe Coding

1. Choose a Popular, Simple Tech Stack. For web development, React, Express, Tailwind, Redis, and Deno are tried and true combinations. LLMs excel at replicating solutions already documented on GitHub and Stack Overflow. Even if you’re tired of React, resist the urge to get experimental with every new framework unless you’re willing for your Vibes to get crushed. (Okay, full disclosure: the author prefers Svelte and has found surprising harmony with Vue.js and Nuxt. In other words, this rule is bendable for those willing to experiment.)
2. Master Version Control GIT or Bust! When AI steers your codebase, it can (and will) overwrite or delete your working code in an instant. If you haven’t practiced diligent version control, trying to resurrect your lost progress from memory or magic prompts is a fool’s errand. Utilizing git is the lifeline of the professional coder. Even better, pair it with tools like Claude Code to automate your “Vibe commits,” or, if you’re old school, take the author’s full git course to master it by hand.
3. Become a Product Manager for Your AI. You are no longer just a coder. Your new job is to break down complex problems into bite sized, clearly defined requirements. Provide all the context documentation, UI images, detailed specs to ensure your AI operates with precision. You want determinism, not creativity; leave the artsy stuff for human brains. Not to sound like a Vibe killer, but sloppiness here is the short path to chaos.

The Limitations of Vibes Alone (And the Secret Ingredient)

Even with all this automation, letting Vibes steer your project uncritically is a recipe for disaster. Consider the Levels Flight Simulator: it may have gone viral, but it was riddled with problems. Its survival was only possible because of the developer’s deep well of experience and problem solving chops. The lesson? Even the best tools and the wildest vibes need a foundation of real skill and critical thinking.