Vibe Coding is a relatively new term from the developer community that describes a specific programming style:
The Concept
Vibe Coding is about writing code more according to "feeling" and intuition, rather than strictly following formal specifications, detailed plans, or Test-Driven Development. The developer is guided by the "flow" and playfully experiments with solutions.
Characteristics
- Iterative experimentation: One tries things out, sees what works, and then refines it
- Less planning upfront: Instead of detailed architectural documents, one starts directly with code
- Creative freedom: Focus on getting things "up and running" rather than perfect structure from the outset
- Rapid Prototyping: Quickly see initial results and build upon them
Context of the discussion
The term is often discussed in connection with AI coding tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or Claude. These tools support the vibe-based approach because one:
- Can experiment faster
- can formulate ideas in natural language
- Must have fewer syntactic details in mind
Critical Examination
Vibe Coding certainly has its place for prototypes, experiments, or creative exploration. However, for production-ready, maintainable software in a consulting context, one should still rely on solid architecture, testing, and documentation - even if AI tools can accelerate the development process.