Guide
What Is Vibe Coding?
Vibe coding means building software by describing what you want to an AI and letting it write the code. This guide explains what vibe coding is, the tools people use in 2026, a workflow that produces apps that actually hold up, and where vibe coding goes wrong — for students in Pakistan and India who want to build faster without shipping a mess.
By Abdul Rahman Azam, founder of AI Season · Updated
Key facts
| Term coined by | Andrej Karpathy, February 2025 |
|---|---|
| Means | Describing software in plain language and letting an AI model write the code |
| Tools | Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, Replit Agent, Lovable, Bolt, v0 |
| Good for | Prototypes, internal tools, learning, MVPs |
| Risky for | Security, payments and code nobody on the team understands |
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding is building software by talking to an AI: you describe the app or change you want in plain language, an AI coding tool writes the code, you run it, and you describe the next fix. AI researcher Andrej Karpathy coined the term in February 2025 for coding where you "fully give in to the vibes" and barely read the code.
Today the term covers a range: from non-programmers building apps purely by prompting, to professional engineers who use AI agents to write most of their code but still review, test and design it. The second style — sometimes called AI-assisted coding or agentic coding — is what employers want.
Vibe coding tools in 2026
| Tool | Type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Terminal / IDE coding agent | Multi-file changes in a real codebase, running tests and commands |
| Cursor | AI-first code editor | Day-to-day coding with inline edits and an agent mode |
| GitHub Copilot | Assistant inside VS Code and JetBrains | Autocomplete, chat and agent mode where you already work |
| Windsurf | AI code editor | Agentic editing in an IDE |
| Replit Agent | Browser-based app builder | Going from idea to a hosted app without local setup |
| Lovable, Bolt, v0 | Prompt-to-app builders | Fast web UI and MVP prototypes |
Prompt-to-app builders are fastest for a first version. Coding agents in a real editor or terminal are what you need once the project grows, because you keep full control of the code.
A vibe coding workflow that holds up
- Write a short spec first. What the app does, who uses it, the pages or endpoints, and what "done" means. Paste it into a file the AI reads every time.
- Build in small steps. One feature per prompt. Run it. Commit to Git when it works so you can always roll back.
- Ask for tests. "Write tests for this function, then make them pass." Tests turn vibes into evidence.
- Read the diff. You do not need to write every line, but you must understand what changed — especially around login, payments and data.
- Paste real errors. Give the AI the full error message and the command you ran, not "it doesn't work".
- Keep secrets out of prompts and code. API keys go in environment variables, never in a chat or a public repo.
Build a Streamlit app that tracks my daily study hours.
- Inputs: date, subject, hours
- Store rows in a local SQLite file
- Show a weekly bar chart per subject
- Keep it to one file, app.py, and add 3 pytest tests for the data functions
Do not add login. Explain any new dependency before installing it.Where vibe coding goes wrong
- Security holes — exposed API keys, missing access checks, SQL injection. AI writes code that works before it writes code that is safe.
- Code nobody understands — after 50 prompts the project becomes impossible to change. Small steps, Git and reading diffs prevent this.
- Hallucinated packages and APIs — the model may invent a library or a function. Check that every dependency really exists before installing it.
- Cost and rate limits — agents looping on a bug can burn credits quickly. Set limits.
- No learning — if you only accept code, you never become the engineer who can fix it when the AI cannot.
Vibe coding and AI agents
AI coding tools *are* AI agents: an LLM in a loop with tools to read files, edit code and run commands. Learning how agents work — tools, memory, the loop and guardrails — makes you much better at directing them, and lets you build your own. The design of the loop, context and tools around a model is called harness engineering, and it is exactly what makes coding agents good or bad.
That is why prompt engineering and vibe coding are Session 2 of AI Season, right after agent foundations: you learn to write prompts that hold up (prompt engineering guide) and to move from idea to working app with AI-assisted coding, then spend the rest of the course building real agents.
Learn vibe coding and AI agents live
AI Season is a live AI agents bootcamp — 12 sessions over 6 weeks in Urdu (easy for Hindi speakers) with English code. You learn AI-assisted coding properly, then build and deploy agents with RAG, LangGraph, MCP, guardrails and voice. Cohort 02 starts 1st January 2027.
Early-bird fee PKR 3,000 (about ₹1,040) until 30th November 2026, and the top three scorers get the full fee back. See the curriculum.
Frequently asked questions
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding is building software by describing what you want to an AI coding tool in plain language and letting it write the code, then iterating by describing fixes. Andrej Karpathy coined the term in February 2025.
Which is the best vibe coding tool?
It depends on the job. Prompt-to-app builders such as Lovable, Bolt, v0 and Replit Agent are fastest for prototypes. Coding agents such as Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot and Windsurf are better for real codebases where you need control, tests and reviews.
Can I learn vibe coding without knowing how to code?
You can build simple prototypes without coding. To build anything secure, maintainable or paid, you need enough programming to read the AI's changes, run tests and debug — basic Python is a good start.
Is vibe coding safe for production apps?
Only with review. AI-written code often works before it is secure. Use Git, tests, code review, environment variables for secrets and access checks before putting vibe-coded apps in front of real users or payments.
Is there a vibe coding course in Urdu or Hindi?
AI Season teaches prompt engineering and AI-assisted (vibe) coding as part of its live AI agents bootcamp, taught in Urdu (easy for Hindi speakers). Cohort 02 starts 1st January 2027; early-bird fee PKR 3,000.