Vibe Coding: First Code, Then Refine

Tech giant Microsoft has partnered with startup Replit to help companies embrace a new trend – vibe coding, programming with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) for professionals and amateurs. This startup, founded in 2016, is a software development platform powered by artificial intelligence that, in strategic partnership with Microsoft, offers companies a new product to test ‘vibe coding’ in programming, which is a novelty in the tech sector. Through this agreement, Replit gained access to Microsoft’s vast customer base, while the software giant enabled business users to create and use applications using natural language.

Easily and quickly, but….

Replit users can create a web application using vibe coding in just a few minutes by describing what they want to develop. Startup CEO Amjad Masad stated that some companies use this platform to create simple and customized software at a cost much lower than what they would pay under a SaaS subscription. Despite the advantages, one of the biggest drawbacks of vibe coding is that amateur programmers are not sufficiently familiar with the complex application of software, which can affect security and produce other issues. However, Microsoft claims that Replit applications purchased on its Azure Marketplace are protected and reduce problems associated with amateur coding. ‘Vibe coding’ is currently introducing a startup-ecosystem where until recently, gifted programmers were the most sought-after but also the rarest talent. Today, artificial intelligence helps less gifted programmers and amateurs.

Efficient Assistant

Such coding is a new software development practice that uses artificial intelligence to generate functional code from natural language queries, thus accelerating development and making application creation more accessible, especially for those with insufficient programming experience. The term vibe coding was coined by world-renowned computer expert Andrej Karpathy, co-founder of OpenAI, who introduced it in February this year, emphasizing the importance of applying AI tools in software development. In vibe coding, the primary role shifts from writing code line by line to guiding an AI assistant to generate, improve, and debug the application.

This concept aligns with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and OpenAI’s Codex, helping programmers stay creative and automating coding. Vibe-coding is a new approach to coding where users express a request through a query that artificial intelligence converts into executable code, with AI agents, coding assistants, providing real-time suggestions, automating processes, and producing standard codebase structures. It operates on the principle of ‘code first, refine later,’ allowing programmers to code first and then optimize the software, while companies can focus on standard business with encouragement for innovation and flexible coding options.

How It Looks in Practice

To apply ‘vibe coding’ in practice, a user first needs to select a platform for the AI coding assistant. Replit, for example, is one of the dynamic and versatile platforms for turning ideas into application code. The next step is defining the requirements in which the user explains what they intend to develop through a query. The clearer the query, the better the result will be. Programming with the help of artificial intelligence is common in Croatian companies, and recently vibe coding as well. According to Stjepan Majdak, software development coordinator at A1 Croatia, the company actively encourages the use of AI tools in programming as they see their immense potential for increasing team productivity.

– In routine daily tasks, it is our usual tool. We use it for prototyping, proof of concepts (proof of concepts), and small, well-defined steps, where it shows excellent results. Of course, we are realistic about the limitations. Artificial intelligence is not yet reliable enough for full-scale use as it can easily start hallucinating in more complex scenarios. The quality of results varies significantly, from excellent solutions that work on the first try to imaginative disasters – claims Majdak.

According to him, AI tools have become an indispensable part of everyday work for many. Although they are rarely used to write something completely from scratch, they are almost irreplaceable as support for working on existing code.

It Needs to Be Used Properly

– I particularly like the analogy with rubber duck programming: instead of explaining the problem to a rubber duck as we used to, we now do it with AI. Due to the size of our company and the need for system stability, we approach this more thoughtfully, but still enthusiastically. For us, vibe coding plays a role especially in experimental phases, hackathons, or when working on innovative projects. For production code, however, we maintain stricter standards and thorough code review, which is understandable given the nature of our business. We do not see AI as a replacement for programming knowledge, but as a sophisticated tool that needs to be used properly. Those who understand its capabilities and limitations can extract the maximum from it. Ultimately, we are guided by the principle that AI is not a magician, but a tool as good as the hands that use it – explains Majdak, noting that regarding vibe coding, this style of work, where ideas are quickly turned into functional code, has particularly thrived in the startup-environment, where faster iterations are sought.

Smart Assistant

Marko Štajcer, line of business director for AI and Solvership’s product engineering, uses artificial intelligence daily as a smart assistant as it helps him increase productivity and frees up time for more important and demanding tasks.

– Instead of dealing with routine tasks, I can dedicate more time to more complex tasks that require my attention and focus. I can illustrate this more concretely with an example. I use AI, for instance, for formatting and translating emails, generating ideas, and preparing and structuring documentation or for communication with clients. All of this saves significant time and increases productivity. In programming, the use of artificial intelligence has also become commonplace for us. We use it for all usual, repetitive parts of code, writing unit tests, or as assistance when facing a technical problem or a new library – says Štajcer, who instead of spending hours studying documentation asks questions to the AI tool.

According to him, AI is very useful when it is necessary to refactor old code, and when an unexpected error occurs, he also applies it for debugging.

Evolution of the Programmer’s Role

Štajcer claims that vibe coding has taken root in domestic practice, although this approach may not always be referred to as such.

– There is increasing discussion in the developer community and at professional conferences about the collaboration between programmers and artificial intelligence, where we focus on creative problem-solving, while AI takes over repetitive tasks. Regarding the state in Croatia, my view is that most companies still have foundations in traditional technologies, but at the same time are increasingly integrating AI tools to assist in writing, debugging, and optimizing code. This change affects everyone regardless of seniority and fundamentally alters the way of working, accelerating development and innovative solutions – states Štajcer.

He does not see this as a replacement for programmers, as many fear, but as a natural evolution of their role. According to him, programmers will increasingly engage in strategy and architecture of complex systems in the future, while AI will perform technical tasks for them.

– This is an inevitable and positive direction for our profession that brings great opportunities in the future – concludes Štajcer.

Classically Safer

Regarding vibe coding, Tomislav Vazdar, a cybersecurity and AI expert, founder of Riskoria Advising & Professional Services, and a member of the Board of CroAI, has already spoken at several domestic AI and technology gatherings, and in recent months this topic has been circulating in the Croatian AI community.

– Although CroAI currently has no official quantitative data on the application of vibe coding, discussions with members and working groups indicate that this practice is primarily implemented in prototyping, internal tools, and faster project framework setups. It mainly relies on AI coding assistants, combining writing specifications in natural language, automatic code generation, and subsequent verification by more experienced development engineers. In areas that are security or regulatory sensitive, domestic companies still apply classical development processes, with AI in a supportive role, not as a replacement – emphasizes Vazdar.

It Depends on the Application Area

Davor Aničić, director of Velebit.AI and a member of the Board of CroAI, believes that for serious, complex software development, AI coding tools help, but they are still far from replacing humans.

– They are most effective with humans, which is why development now consists of a bit more code review and less coding. But it still heavily depends on the application domain and complexity. A recent example is a potential client who is not a technology expert and coded a simple prototype web application she envisioned in two days. Now she is in less of a hurry to hire someone for serious development because she can also show this to business angels, and as she said, she saved about five thousand euros and two weeks of work – describes Aničić.

Although artificial intelligence simply generates code, creativity is still managed by people, as well as alignment with goals and unconventional thinking, which is why programmers remain an important factor in software creation.