Vibe coding explained
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding is building software by describing what you want to an AI model in plain language, then running what it writes and asking for changes until it works. You focus on what the program should do, and the AI model writes the code.
The meaning of vibe coding
Collins Dictionary defines the term this way:
"The use of artificial intelligence prompted by natural language to assist with the writing of computer code."Collins Dictionary
In practice, a person writes a request such as "a page where parents can sign up for volunteer shifts," the AI coding tool builds it, and the person tests it and describes what to fix. The person does not need to read or write the code line by line.
Where the term came from
Andrej Karpathy, a co-founder of OpenAI and former head of AI at Tesla, used the phrase in a post on X in February 2025. He described programming by feel and leaving the code itself to the AI model.
Collins Dictionary named "vibe coding" its Word of the Year for 2025, announced on 6 November 2025. Sources: Collins Dictionary, CNN, Wikipedia.
How to start vibe coding
- Pick one small problem you already have.A sign-up sheet, a tracker, a quiz, a price calculator. A problem from your own work or life is easier to test, because you already know what the right answer looks like.
- Describe it in plain language.Write who will use it, what they need to do, and what they should see when they finish. Give an example of real input and the result you expect.
- Run what the tool builds.Use it the way the real user would, and write down every place it does the wrong thing or confuses you.
- Ask for one change at a time.Describe each fix separately and run the program again after every change, so you can see which request caused which result.
- Show it to someone who would use it.Watch them try it and ask what they need next. That conversation decides the next round of changes.
Tools people use for vibe coding
These are widely used AI coding tools. The list is alphabetical and is not a ranking.
- Bolt
- Builds web apps in the browser from a written description. Made by StackBlitz.
- Claude Code
- Anthropic's AI coding tool. It works in a terminal or code editor and can read, write and run code in a project.
- Cursor
- A code editor with an AI model built in that can write and change code across a project.
- GitHub Copilot
- GitHub's AI assistant inside code editors such as Visual Studio Code.
- Google AI Studio
- Google's browser tool for building with its Gemini models, including small apps from a written description.
- Lovable
- Builds web apps in the browser from a written description.
- Replit
- A browser-based coding environment with an AI agent that builds and runs apps.
What people build with it
The project categories at Vibing Sarasota show the range. A teacher might build a practice quiz for one unit. A shop owner might build a booking page. A nonprofit might build a volunteer schedule. An artist might build an interactive exhibit. A coach might build a training tracker.
All twelve categories, with example projects and the people they serve, are on the hackathon page.
Vibe coding questions
Do you need to know how to program to vibe code?
No. You describe what you want in plain language and test the result. Knowing some programming helps you spot problems faster. The builders named in the Vibing Sarasota project categories include teachers, business owners, artists and nonprofit staff.
Who coined the term vibe coding?
Andrej Karpathy, a co-founder of OpenAI and former head of AI at Tesla, in a post on X in February 2025. Collins Dictionary named it the Word of the Year for 2025.
Is there a vibe coding event near Sarasota or Tampa?
Yes. Vibing Sarasota is a two-day community hackathon in Sarasota, Florida, in February 2027, about an hour south of Tampa. Participant registration opens in January 2027.
Vibe coding in Sarasota
Vibing Sarasota is a two-day community hackathon in February 2027 for people building with AI. Bring a project you have started, learn how to share it in daytime workshops, and show it at a community showcase.