Is “Vibe Coding” bad for you?

KG.codes · 3 minute read ·

The world of software development is changing—fast. With AI tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and others stepping in to assist (or even replace) parts of the coding process, a new approach has emerged: “Vibe Coding.” But is this style of development helping or hurting the industry?

Let’s dive in.

What Is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding is a modern approach to building software that leans heavily on AI tools and rapid iteration, often skipping traditional processes. Here's what it typically looks like:

🧠 AI generates most—if not all—of the code
💬 Developers rely on prompting AI tools to write code, iterate applications, and fix bugs
⚙️ Focus on experimentation and iteration over rigid best practices or structured planning
🏗️ Build fast, break fast—less upfront planning, more reactive development
🚀 Ideal for rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept work—great when you're exploring ideas or testing MVPs

In short, it’s about getting things working quickly, not perfectly.

The Controversy Around Vibe Coding

While vibe coding is exciting and empowering, it’s not without its critics. Here's why some developers, especially seasoned ones, are raising concerns:

🧠 Erosion of Core Skills

Relying on AI can weaken the learning process, especially for new programmers.
Without struggling through real-world problems, developers may lack deep understanding of key concepts.
This can make them less hirable in traditional engineering environments.

⚠️ Tech Debt and Long-Term Issues

Quick, AI-assisted solutions may accumulate technical debt.
Codebases become harder to maintain and scale over time.
Lack of guardrails—like design principles, testing strategies, and documentation—can hurt teams in the long run.

As Andrej Karpathy puts it, "Vibe coding... leads to technical debt, security vulnerabilities, and a loss of intellectual ownership over systems."

🧓 The Veteran Perspective

Developers who’ve gone through the “old-school programmer gauntlet” often see this new style as too easy or lacking discipline.
But that frustration can also stem from nostalgia: every generation has had to adapt to new abstractions.
As tech evolves, so do the ways we interact with it.

Let’s Face It: Vibe Coding Has a Place

Yes, it may ruffle feathers—but vibe coding isn't going anywhere. In fact, it thrives in certain environments:

Startups and greenfield projects where speed trumps perfection
Hackathons and experimentation-heavy workflows
Solo projects or side hustles that don’t demand long-term maintainability

However, in legacy systems, large-scale enterprise apps, or regulated environments, vibe coding falls short. These situations require structured processes, planning, and documentation that AI tools can't always deliver on their own.

The Balanced Approach

The real answer may lie somewhere in the middle.

✅ Use AI tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, or Amazon CodeWhisperer to accelerate development.
🛠️ But also invest time in understanding fundamentals, clean architecture, and testing.
🔍 Treat AI-generated code like you would a junior dev’s work—review, test, and refine it.

Vibe coding isn't “bad”—it’s just a new layer in the abstraction stack. Like frameworks, package managers, and no-code tools before it, it’s part of the natural evolution of tech.

As Karpathy's critique warns, "balanced AI-assisted engineering" is the safest path forward.

🎙️ Developer Perspective: Real Talk

"Let me give my take on this vibe coding thing and why it's got a little bit of controversy around it... We're skipping over things like planning, making sure the code is maintainable and scalable. The disconnect is happening with a lot of experienced devs like myself. We've worked on-call, within scalable systems, in teams—we see the issues that come up when foundational principles are skipped."

That insight from a developer in the field reflects a growing concern among professionals: new coders may miss out on essential lessons if they rely too much on AI.

Still, it's worth remembering: even we didn't go through the same "gauntlet" as the devs before us.

Final Thoughts: Embrace, But Don’t Blindly Trust

AI is the future. It’s transforming how we build software, collaborate, and create. But blindly trusting it can be dangerous.

Use it.
Learn from it.
But don’t let it be your only teacher.

💬 What Do You Think?

Is vibe coding just another step in the evolution of software development? Or is it watering down the craft and putting the future of quality software at risk?

Let us know in the comments below.

📺 Video (YouTube)

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