Guide
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding means describing the app you want and letting a coding agent write the first version. You still own the keys, the deploy, and the decision to trust the diff.
Answer
Vibe coding is building software by talking to an agent instead of typing every line yourself. The agent writes files, you look at the result, and you ask for the next change. It is a workflow, not a guarantee that the app is correct.
Beginner path
The short version
You say what the app should do, in normal sentences. A coding agent creates or edits the files. You open the result, click around, and ask for one change at a time.
That is the whole loop:
- Describe the outcome.
- Let the agent edit.
- Look at what changed.
- Ask for a smaller fix, or undo.
The tools on this site are different doors into that loop. Some live in the browser and build a new app. Some live in an editor or a terminal and edit a project you already have. The quiz asks which door you want. It does not rank them by quality.
What you still do
The agent does not own the project. You do. Three jobs stay with you even on a free plan:
- You decide what "done" means.
- You keep API keys out of the chat and out of the repo.
- You read the deploy limits before you call a URL free.
A useful first project
Pick something you can see in one screen. A tip jar, a birthday page, a list of records you own. Skip login and a database until the page exists.
Advanced path
If you already ship
Vibe coding, for you, is a way to spend the agent on the boring draft: a migration sketch, a failing test, a first pass at a UI. The risk is the same one seniors already know. The agent will sound sure inside a codebase it does not fully hold in its context window.
Keep the loop tight. One directory. One command the agent must run. A rule file that says how you test. The advanced guides on multi-agent setups, MCP, and AGENTS.md are the next stop, and the radar is where vendor changes show up with dates.
Next step
Questions
Do I need to know how to code first?
You can start without it. You will still need a few words, which is what the glossary is for, and you will need to read what the agent changed before you put the app on the internet.
Is this the same as using autocomplete?
Autocomplete suggests the next line while you type. Vibe coding usually hands the agent a bigger job, such as a page or a bug, and then reviews the files it touched.