2. Vibe Coding as a Software Development Style

What “vibe coding” is (as a dev style)

Vibe coding is a way of building software where you deliberately use a model to accelerate implementation and iteration. The model contributes drafts—code, tests, scaffolding, refactors, docs—while you retain responsibility for:

• Architecture: boundaries, data flow, and what changes are allowed.
• Correctness: tests, validation, and real-world verification.
• Risk management: security, privacy, and operational safety.
• Shipping decisions: scope, tradeoffs, and what “done” means.

The “vibe” isn’t magic. It’s the speed you get when the model handles a lot of the typing and first-pass structure, and you keep the loop grounded in reality (run, test, measure).

Why treat it as a development style

If you treat AI assistance as a bag of tricks (“prompt engineering”), you’ll miss the real leverage. The leverage comes from process:

• Smaller iteration steps → fewer hidden errors → faster verification.
• Explicit constraints → less drift → more consistent outputs.
• Verification as default → hallucinations become cheap mistakes instead of expensive failures.
• Architecture control → generated code fits your system instead of fighting it.

In other words: vibe coding is a style because it changes how you plan, how you scope work, how you review changes, and how you decide when something is ready to ship.

Core principles (the non-negotiables)

These are the principles that make vibe coding sustainable:

• You drive, the model types: you decide direction; the model accelerates execution.
• Run early, run often: a runnable skeleton beats a perfect plan.
• Small diffs win: keep changes reviewable; avoid giant rewrites unless intentionally migrating.
• Specs beat vibes: even tiny specs (inputs/outputs/constraints) prevent spaghetti.
• Tests/evidence are the truth source: explanations are helpful; verification is decisive.
• Guardrails scale speed: constraints, schemas, budgets, and approvals keep momentum safe.
• Ship points matter: ship working slices, then iterate from stable ground.

The workflow stack: prompt → code → verification

Vibe coding works when these layers reinforce each other:

1. Prompt layer: clear intent, constraints, and acceptance criteria.
2. Code layer: modular structure, readable diffs, and consistent patterns.
3. Verification layer: tests, runtime checks, logs, and (later) eval harnesses.

If one layer is weak, the others have to compensate:

• Weak prompt → the model guesses → you debug longer.
• Weak code structure → changes are risky → you hesitate to iterate.
• Weak verification → hallucinations slip through → you lose trust and slow down.

Where vibe coding shines

Vibe coding is especially strong when:

• The work is modular: you can break tasks into small, testable units.
• There’s a known pattern: CRUD scaffolding, API wrappers, glue code, UI wiring.
• You can verify quickly: unit tests, a CLI run, a small web demo, schema validation.
• You need iteration speed: prototype → observe → refine cycles.
• You want consistency: repetitive changes, refactors, formatting, doc generation (with review).

Where vibe coding breaks (and how to mitigate)

It tends to break down when reality is hard to validate or when the blast radius is large.

Risky zones

• Security-sensitive changes: auth, permissions, secrets, payments, data deletion.
• High-uncertainty domains: unclear requirements, ambiguous user flows, missing acceptance criteria.
• Large migrations: framework upgrades, multi-module rewrites, database schema changes.
• Hidden constraints: legacy systems, undocumented behaviors, operational requirements.

Mitigations that work

• Reduce scope: split work into safe slices with clear boundaries.
• Increase evidence: add tests, smoke checks, and explicit verification steps.
• Use stronger constraints: schemas, “diff-only,” “do not touch,” and explicit file lists.
• Gate risky actions: require review/approval for destructive or security-sensitive changes.
• Prefer rehearsal: create a minimal reproduction or a spike branch before big migrations.

Section map (2.1 → 2.5)

This section is the practical “operating manual” for the vibe-coding style:

• 2.1 The vibe loop (idea → prompt → output → test → refine)
• 2.2 When vibe coding is great vs when it’s dangerous
• 2.3 “You drive, the model types” as the default posture
• 2.4 The 80/20 rule: get to runnable, then get to correct
• 2.5 The “spec first” habit that prevents spaghetti

How to use this section while building

Use Section 2 as a checklist for your workflow. When projects start to feel messy or slow, it’s usually because one of these practices drifted:

• Are you making steps too big?
• Are you verifying after each change?
• Are your constraints explicit and current?
• Are you shipping small slices instead of chasing the “perfect” version?

If you catch yourself asking the model for huge rewrites, use 2.1 + 2.5 to re-scope into smaller specs and diffs.

Where to go next

• Start with 2.1 The vibe loop
• Back to Section 1: Mental Models