There's a new buzzword making rounds in tech circles: "Vibe Coding"! A term coined by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy to describe the process of creating code through natural language prompts rather than traditional programming. The promise? Anyone can build software by simply describing what they want. The reality? Well, that's what I've been discovering firsthand over the past few months.

The Dream vs. My Reality

When I first started exploring AI-assisted coding late last year (before "vibe coding" was even a common term), I was captivated by the possibilities. Watch any tutorials or demo videos on youtube and you'd think we've entered a new era where coding knowledge is optional and development timelines have collapsed from weeks to hours.

My journey with a Discord bot project has told a different story:

Imagine spending hours getting a project to 90% completion, feeling like you're almost there... only to discover that the final 10% will consume more than twice as much time as everything before it.

Sound familiar? If you're nodding along, welcome to the club.

The False Reassurance Trap

One of the most frustrating aspects of my vibe coding journey has been what I call the "false reassurance trap." It goes something like this:

1. You build something that partially works

2. You ask the AI if the code is correctly structured

3. The AI confidently assures you everything looks great

4. You discover multiple errors minutes later

I've lost count of how many times I've asked, "Is this following best practices?" or "Would a professional developer approve of this structure?" only to receive glowing praise for code that breaks in spectacular ways moments later.

This creates a strange psychological loop where you begin doubting your own judgment. If the AI says it's fine, maybe the problem is with my understanding? Maybe I'm just not implementing it correctly?

The "One More Fix" Syndrome

There's a particular moment in the vibe coding process that nearly made me throw my MacBook against the wall. I call it the "one more fix" syndrome:

Me: "The code isn't working. Here's the error message."
AI: "I see the issue. Just change this one line and it will work perfectly."
*Changes line*
*New error appears*
AI: "Ah, I missed something. Make this small adjustment and we're good to go."
*Makes adjustment*
*Three new errors appear*

This cycle can repeat for hours, with each "solution" spawning multiple new problems. What started as an exciting project becomes an archeological dig through layers of semi-functional code.

The Community Experience

What's been most reassuring is discovering I'm not alone. The vibe coding community is filled with similar stories:

Nathan Benaich, an investor who initially praised vibe coding, later revised his assessment: "Even with precise instructions, the AI makes mistakes. Without proper knowledge, technical debt accumulates quickly."

A Reddit user (u/YourAverageDev_) accurately described vibe coding as "gambling in disguise" - "You throw in an input and hope for the best. If it works 51% of the time, you celebrate like you're a genius."

The Reality Check

After months of experimenting, here's what I've learned about vibe coding:

1. It's iterative, not magical - Expect to go back and forth with the AI dozens of times

2. Debugging becomes your primary activity - You'll spend more time fixing than creating

3. AI confidently gives wrong answers - Never trust "yes, that looks good" without verification

4. Technical knowledge still matters - The less you understand code, the harder debugging becomes (that’s why I still need to learn the basics!)

5. It's excellent for prototyping - But challenging for production-quality software

Tips From The Trenches

For those brave souls continuing on this journey, here are some hard-earned tips:

1. Always verify the AI's claims - Test everything, trust nothing

2. Build incrementally - Get small pieces working before moving on

3. Learn to read error messages - They tell you more than the AI sometimes

4. Set time limits - If you've spent more than an hour on one bug, step back

5. Know when to ask for human help - Sometimes a 5-minute conversation with a developer saves hours

My Favorite Posts on This Topic:

The Future of Vibe Coding

Despite the frustrations, I still believe vibe coding represents an important shift in software development. The tools are improving rapidly, and the community is developing better practices.

For now, though, it's important to approach vibe coding with realistic expectations. It's not a magic wand that turns ideas into flawless code - it's a sometimes temperamental assistant that can accelerate development while introducing its own unique challenges.

Have you tried vibe coding? What has your experience been like? I’d love to hear your stories! Especially if they involve moments of wanting to throw your device at the wall. We're all in this together! 😉

This post is part of my ongoing exploration of AI-assisted development tools and practices. Stay tuned for more reality checks and practical tips as I continue navigating this evolving landscape.

What I saw today:

What I listened to today:

What I liked today:

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.}