Let’s talk about vibe coding, a term that sounds like a hackathon afterparty but is slowly redefining how developers write software. At its core, vibe coding is the practice of using AI to write code based on high-level descriptions, moods, or intentions rather than strict syntactic instructions. You tell the AI what you want, not necessarily how to do it. Then voilà—it vibes with your ask and produces functional (sometimes even elegant) code.
This movement rose from the ashes of autocomplete and pair programming tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Cursor, and others... The more we offloaded boilerplate or repetitive code-writing to AI, the more we realized: “Hey, what if we just stopped writing code the old way altogether?”
Of course, like any revolution, this one has its factions.
The Three Camps of Thought on Vibe Coding
🧢 The Evangelists: “This Will Burn the House Down”
For this camp, vibe coding is the equivalent of handing your codebase to a caffeinated intern who thinks they know what they’re doing. They argue that relying on AI dilutes the craft of engineering, creates technical debt at scale, and fosters a generation of devs who can’t write a for-loop without autocomplete.
Their motto? “If you didn’t write it, you don’t own it.” And while that’s a bit gatekeeper-y, they’re not wrong to raise red flags—AI still has a penchant for confidently spitting out plausible-but-wrong logic.
🌈 The Optimists: “This Changes Everything (and That’s Good)”
These folks are all-in. Why wouldn’t you use a tool that accelerates development, writes tests, and maybe even corrects your off-by-one errors? They dream of a future where programming is less about syntax and more about storytelling. Less mechanical keystrokes, more creative problem-solving.
Their bet? AI will democratize development, reduce bugs, and make software accessible to people who don’t come from a CS background.
The dream is real. The risk? Relying too much on vibes and too little on verification.
🧩 The Problem-Solvers (Me): “Let’s Not Throw the Baby Out with the Bytecode”
Now here’s the middle ground I stand on. Vibe coding is incredible—when used right. It accelerates scaffolding, automates the boring stuff, and even sparks creative ideas. But it’s not a replacement for good engineering; it’s an amplifier.
The trick is to combine human experience with AI efficiency. Use AI to generate, but keep the human in the loop for review, refactoring, and decision-making. It’s like coding with a junior dev who’s super fast but occasionally hallucinates.
The Future of Coding: Prompts and Reviews
Here’s my prediction: the future of software engineering isn’t in writing code line-by-line. It’s in crafting structured prompts and mastering the art of code review. Engineers will spend more time directing and validating AI-generated output than grinding out boilerplate.
As prompt writing becomes the new programming, we’ll need frameworks to do it well. A great resource? Check out this guide to prompt structuring techniques.
My Personal Vibe Coding Flow (a.k.a. The SPAR Method)
Vibe coding only works if you give it structure. After some trial and error, I landed on a process that speeds things up without wrecking quality. I call it the SPAR method (because yes, I needed a catchy acronym):
🧠 S – State the Problem
Start with a clear description of the goal. For example, “I need a Flask route that accepts a JSON payload and stores it in the database.” You’re setting the scene for the AI.
🪓 P – Partition the Problem
Break the big ask into small, targeted prompts. “Write the POST endpoint.” “Generate a SQLAlchemy model.” “Add validation.” Each of these becomes a micro-task the AI can excel at.
🔁 A – Adjust and Refactor
Once you have the generated code, don’t just slap it in your app. Refactor it. Improve readability. Add docstrings. Align it with your project’s style guide.
✅ R – Reinforce with Tests
Finally, prompt the AI (or yourself) to add tests for what’s been written. Coverage is non-negotiable—even if AI helped write it.
Wrapping Up (For Now)
Vibe coding isn’t a fad—it’s a shift. But like any shift, it needs rails. I’ll be iterating on this approach, refining SPAR, and sharing updates as I learn more.
Because hey, if we’re gonna vibe, let’s do it right.