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How Vibe Coding Made Me an AI Developer
When Curiosity Meets Technology

I couldn't help but laugh when I stumbled across a YouTube video about "Vibe Coding" (see down below 👇🏼). Finally, there's a perfect term for what I've been naturally doing while exploring AI tools! As someone with a background in finance rather than technology, I've always been drawn to discovering what new tech can do – it's simply part of who I am.
What Exactly is "Vibe Coding"?
Andrej Karpathy (former AI Director at Tesla and a prominent figure in artificial intelligence) describes Vibe Coding as an approach where you "give into the vibes" and "forget that the code even exists." It's essentially using AI to handle the technical coding aspects while you focus on describing what you want to create.
What resonates with me about this AI coding approach is how it opens doors for people like me – naturally curious about technology but without formal programming education. It perfectly aligns with my tendency to explore new tools and possibilities.
My Natural Approach to Building with AI
My journey with AI development tools like Replit, Cursor, and other AI coding assistants has been driven by curiosity rather than a structured learning plan. Here's how my vibe coding process typically unfolds:
Idea phase: I think of something interesting I'd like to build
Prompt crafting: I try to describe what I want as clearly as possible
Iterative refinement: When something doesn't work, I adjust my prompts
Learning through doing: Each iteration teaches me something new about what works
What I love about this process is how organic it feels. I'm not starting with programming textbooks – I'm learning by creating things that interest me through AI-assisted coding.
The Natural Learning Curve of Vibe Coding
What's fascinating is how knowledge accumulates naturally through this trial-and-error process. While I don't analyze every error in depth, I've found myself absorbing coding concepts simply through experimentation and repetition.
When I encounter something I don't understand, I simply ask the AI to explain it. These explanations build my knowledge incrementally, in context, and exactly when I need them – which makes them much more likely to stick than abstract lessons.
For example, after building several small projects with AI tools, I naturally started recognizing patterns in how APIs work or how data is structured. I didn't set out to study these coding concepts, but they became familiar through practical application.
AI Coding Projects That Sparked Joy
My exploration with vibe coding has led to various interesting creations:
A Discord bot that analyzes specific signals
A simple Anxiety Support application
Web interfaces for various ideas
Small automation tools for daily tasks
What's satisfying is seeing these ideas come to life, even without traditional coding skills. Each successful project encourages me to try something slightly more ambitious the next time with my AI coding assistants.
The Balance of Understanding in AI-Assisted Development
I've found there's a natural balance to how deeply I engage with the technical aspects. Some days, I'm content to let the AI handle most of the coding complexity. Other times, my curiosity drives me to ask follow-up questions like "Why did you structure it this way?" or "What would happen if we tried a different approach?"
This flexible engagement allows me to learn coding at my own pace and according to my interests, rather than following a prescribed curriculum. It's learning driven by genuine curiosity rather than obligation.
The Joy of AI Problem-Solving
What makes vibe coding so enjoyable is how it transforms technical challenges into creative problem-solving. When something doesn't work, I don't need to debug code line-by-line – I can think about different ways to describe what I want or try alternative approaches.
It becomes a dialogue with the AI coding assistant: "That's not quite right. What if we tried it this way instead?" This conversational process often leads to unexpected discoveries and solutions I might not have considered on my own.
Why This Approach to AI Coding Works For Me
This explorative approach to technology aligns perfectly with how I naturally learn and solve problems:
Curiosity-driven: I follow what interests me rather than a prescribed coding path
Results-oriented: I can see functioning creations quickly, which is motivating
Low friction: The barrier between idea and implementation is dramatically reduced with AI tools
Adaptive learning: I naturally pick up coding concepts that are immediately relevant
Looking Toward the Future of Vibe Coding
As AI coding tools continue to evolve, I believe this collaborative approach to creation will become increasingly valuable. It's not about replacing traditional programming knowledge, but rather creating a different pathway to technological creativity for non-developers.
For me, the most exciting aspect is how these AI coding assistants align with my natural curiosity. They allow me to explore technological possibilities without first climbing the steep learning curve of traditional programming education.
Some Reflections on Learning to Code with AI
Through this journey with vibe coding, I've developed a few insights that might resonate with others exploring AI-assisted development:
Clear communication is key: The better I describe what I want, the better results I get from AI tools
Iteration builds knowledge: Each attempt teaches something about coding, even when it doesn't work
Questions lead to understanding: When I'm curious about something, I simply ask the AI to explain
Patterns emerge naturally: Over time, I recognize coding structures and approaches without formal study
Conclusion
When I saw that video about "Vibe Coding," I felt a sense of validation. My natural approach to exploring technology now has a name and is being recognized by leaders in the AI field.
What I appreciate most about this journey is how it honors my inherent curiosity while still building genuine knowledge. I may not follow the traditional path of a developer, but I'm creating things that interest me and learning to code along the way.
For anyone who's curious about technology but hesitant because they lack formal training: these new AI coding tools open up possibilities that simply weren't available before. They allow us to create through conversation, to build through description, and to learn through exploration.
And really, isn't that the most natural way to learn coding with AI?
Have you experimented with AI-assisted development or vibe coding? What projects have you built using AI tools without formal coding knowledge? I'd love to hear about your experiences!
What I saw today:
What I listened to today:
What I liked today:
I love AI for:
- Pursuing curiosity
- Sharpening my thinking
- Generating relevant ideas
- Quick answers for small problems
- Doing busy work, not creative workI hate AI for:
- Publishing the output without any personal touch (lazy, low agency, replaceable)
— DAN KOE (@thedankoe)
3:30 PM • Feb 25, 2025
That’s it for today! ☺️
Disclaimer:
This blog reflects my personal learning journey and experiments with technology. These are my own experiences and observations as I explore the fascinating world of tech and AI.
Developed with research, image generation and writing assistance using AI.
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