Introduction to Vibe Coding

When many people first hear about Vibe Coding, they might think it’s just another buzzword in the programmer community. However, it represents a shift in software development methodology. In the past, if someone wanted to create a website, tool, or small application, the first thought was often, “I need to learn to code first.” Now, with an idea in mind, one can articulate the requirements clearly and let AI generate the initial version. Through continuous feedback, iteration, and modification, an idea can evolve into a usable product.

Thus, Vibe Coding is not merely about “AI writing code”; it’s more accurately described as a methodology for quickly transforming ideas into product prototypes using natural language to direct AI. The focus is not on writing elegant or perfect code from the outset but on getting something functional up and running.

What is Vibe Coding?

Traditional programming resembles building a house by hand, requiring knowledge of concrete, steel, wiring, and construction standards. Every brick placement and wire connection must be done personally. In contrast, Vibe Coding is akin to directing a capable construction team with your blueprints and ideas, needing you to clarify your vision continuously.

For example, you might say:

• I want a to-do list application.
• The page should be simple.
• Users should be able to add tasks, delete tasks, and mark them as complete.
• Ideally, it should have a light background, and the buttons should look pleasant.
• Data should be saved and remain after refreshing the page.

The AI will generate code based on your description. If you find the button unattractive, you can request adjustments, like making it rounder or changing the color. If the data isn’t saved, you can instruct it to integrate Supabase for database storage.

The entire process shifts from solitary coding to a collaborative effort where you express requirements, review results, identify issues, and drive iterations. Therefore, the core skills of Vibe Coding are:

1. Clearly articulating ideas.
2. Evaluating whether the results meet expectations.
3. Collaborating with AI through iterative improvements.

This means that ordinary people can also step into the realm of software creation. However, it’s crucial to remember that while AI can assist in writing code, it doesn’t eliminate the need for understanding products, logic, or risks. Vibe Coding lowers the entry barrier but does not replace human judgment.

Remember This Flowchart

When learning Vibe Coding, avoid getting lost in a sea of tools right away. Keep in mind a main sequence:

Idea → Describe Requirements → Sketch → AI Generates Code → Run Locally → Connect Backend → Deploy Online → Collect Feedback → Continue Optimization

This forms a minimal closed loop. Many struggle not because the tools are too complex but because they get the order wrong. Beginners often jump straight to questions like: Which model is best? Should I use Cursor or Windsurf? Supabase or Firebase for the database? React, Vue, or Next.js for the frontend framework?

While these questions are important, they are too early for newcomers. The primary goal in the initial phase is not to select the strongest tool but to complete a full process at least once. Even if the result is a very simple webpage, as long as it is accessible online, you have crossed a critical threshold. You will realize that what you articulate can indeed become a product.

Step One: Transform Your Idea into a Clear Statement

What does Vibe Coding fear the most? It’s vague requests like:

• “Help me create a nice-looking webpage.”

While AI can attempt this, it will likely guess and produce something that doesn’t align with your vision. Therefore, the first step is not to open Cursor but to articulate your idea clearly.

A well-defined requirement should include at least five components:

1. What to do?
2. Who is it for?
3. What features are needed?
4. What does it look like?
5. How do we define success?

For instance, instead of writing:

• “Help me create a to-do app.”

You should write:

• “Please help me create a web-based to-do list application for personal daily use. Features include: adding tasks, deleting tasks, marking tasks as complete, and viewing the count of incomplete tasks. The page style should be simple with a light background and card layout, suitable for both mobile and desktop access. The first version does not need login functionality, just local data storage.”

This description, while not complex, is significantly clearer than the previous one. It informs the AI about:

• The type of product;
• The target user;
• The functional boundaries;
• The visual style;
• What the first version will not include.

One of the secrets of Vibe Coding is that the sooner you clarify boundaries, the less rework you’ll have to do.

Step Two: Draw a Rough but Useful Sketch

Many beginners feel intimidated by Figma, thinking it’s only for designers. However, in the early stages of Vibe Coding, you don’t need to create beautiful interfaces; you only need to draw wireframes.

What are wireframes? They are simple boxes, text, and buttons that outline the page structure. For example, a to-do list page might look like this:

• Top: Title “My To-Do List”
• Middle: An input box and an “Add” button
• Below: Task list
• Each task has a complete button and a delete button on the right
• Bottom: Displays “3 tasks remaining”

It’s that simple. It doesn’t need to be pretty; it just needs to convey to the AI what areas are on the page and what each area contains. You can use Figma, paper and pencil, or even just describe it in text. For beginners, the purpose of the sketch is not design but to reduce misunderstandings. Often, you may have a clear vision in your mind, but the AI does not. Drawing it out, even if it’s ugly, is far more effective than saying, “Make it look nice.”

Step Three: Let Cursor Generate the First Version of Code

Next, you can enter the true Vibe Coding phase. Cursor can be thought of as a code editor with AI capabilities. It’s not just a simple chatbot; it’s a development environment that understands project files, modifies code, generates components, and fixes errors.

You can hand over your organized requirements directly to it:

• “Please help me create a React version of the to-do list application. Requirements: support adding tasks, deleting tasks, marking tasks as complete, and counting incomplete tasks; use a simple card layout; adapt for mobile and desktop; initially use localStorage for data; please generate a runnable complete project and tell me how to start it.”

Note a few key points:

1. Request a “runnable complete project”.
2. Specify to “use localStorage first” and avoid complex backend setups initially.
3. Ask it to explain how to start the project.

After AI generates the code, don’t rush to analyze every line. First, run it. Can it be opened? Can the buttons be clicked? Is data saved? Are there any obvious layout issues? The goal of the first round is not perfection but functionality. The rhythm of Vibe Coding should be:

Run first, observe next; identify problems, then let AI fix them; form a closed loop before discussing optimization.

Step Four: Learn to Give AI Feedback, Not Just Frustration

Many people encounter issues when using AI to write code:

• It wrote something incorrectly.
• The button doesn’t work.
• The page throws an error.
• The styles are off.
• Modifying one area breaks another.

At this point, avoid vague statements like:

• “You wrote it wrong, rewrite it.”

Such feedback is too ambiguous for AI to address accurately. You need to describe the problem as specifically as you would to a doctor about a medical issue. For example:

• “After clicking the add button, the content in the input box doesn’t appear in the list. Please check the event handling logic for adding tasks and modify only the relevant code, not the entire project.”
• “The error message on the page is: Cannot read properties of undefined. Please locate the cause based on this error, explain the issue, and provide a minimal modification plan.”
• “The last modification fixed the delete function, but the mark as complete function is now broken. Please compare the previous version with the current one to identify what might affect the completed status.”

This is a crucial skill in Vibe Coding: the ability to provide effective feedback. The more accurately you describe the issue, the easier it will be for AI to fix it. Emotional responses like “Why is it wrong again?” can lead to more confusion. In AI programming, poor feedback can create more bad code, while good feedback can lead to positive iterations.

Step Five: When to Use Supabase?

If you’re only creating a small toy, like a to-do list, countdown, or personal accounting prototype, you can start with local browser storage. However, if you want the data to be genuinely saved in the cloud, you’ll need a backend.

Many beginners dread backend development. Databases, user logins, APIs, permissions, and security rules can be overwhelming. In this case, Supabase is ideal for newcomers. It offers common backend capabilities like databases, user authentication, and file storage, allowing you to connect features like “data storage” and “user login” without building a server from scratch.

You might instruct the AI:

• “Now please connect this to-do list application to Supabase. Requirements: task data should be saved in the Supabase ’todos’ table; fields include id, title, completed, created_at; please tell me what tables need to be created in the Supabase backend and what environment variables need to be configured.”

A crucial reminder is:

Never expose keys, tokens, or database passwords directly in public code.

Beginners often make this mistake. API keys, database connection strings, and access tokens should always be placed in environment variables. You can ask AI to help configure this, but you must understand that these items should not be exposed carelessly. Additionally, if user data is involved, pay special attention to permission rules. In Supabase, particularly focus on Row Level Security, which ensures that users cannot read or write others’ data indiscriminately. Vibe Coding can be fast, but it must not be chaotic.

Step Six: Use GitHub to Save Your Projects

For beginners, GitHub can be understood as a “project archive.” Your code, files, and modification history are stored here. It serves several purposes:

1. Preserve your projects, preventing local file loss.
2. Record every modification, making it easy to revert changes.
3. Facilitate automatic deployment on platforms like Vercel.
4. Provide a unified code center for future collaboration with others.