How Vibe Coding Actually Works

The step-by-step process from “I have an idea” to “I have a working app.”

Who Should Read This?

• Anyone who wants to understand the actual workflow
• People preparing to try vibe coding for the first time

What you’ll get: A clear understanding of each step in the vibe coding process.

Prerequisites: Read What is Vibe Coding? first.

The 5-Step Process

Step 1: Describe Your Idea

You start by telling the AI what you want in plain English.

Bad prompt:

“Make me a website”

Good prompt:

“Create a personal portfolio website with:

• A hero section with my name and job title
• An about section with my photo and a short bio
• A projects section showing 3 projects with images
• A contact form that sends emails
• Dark mode toggle
• Mobile-friendly design”

The more specific you are, the better the AI understands your vision.

Pro tip: Break big ideas into smaller pieces. Instead of “build me an entire e-commerce store,” start with “create a product listing page.”

Step 2: AI Generates the Code

Once you hit enter, the AI gets to work:

1. Analyzes your request - Understands what you’re asking for
2. Plans the structure - Decides what files and components to create
3. Writes the code - Generates HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.
4. Connects everything - Makes sure all parts work together

This happens in seconds to minutes, depending on complexity.

What you see: Files appearing in your project, code being written before your eyes.

What you do: Wait. Maybe grab coffee. ☕

Step 3: Run and Test

Now you see if it actually works:

# Typical commands to run your app
npm install    # Install dependencies (first time only)
npm run dev    # Start the local server

Open your browser to localhost:3000 (or whatever port it shows).

What to check:

• Does it load without errors?
• Do the buttons work?
• Does it look right on mobile?
• Try to break it (enter weird data, click fast, etc.)

Step 4: Give Feedback (Iterate)

This is where the “vibe” comes in. You’re not debugging code—you’re directing the AI like a conversation.

Examples of feedback:

“The button should be green, not blue”

“When I click submit, nothing happens. Fix that.”

“Add a loading spinner while the form is submitting”

“This looks too cramped. Add more spacing between sections.”

The AI makes the changes. You test again. Repeat until you’re happy.

This loop is the core of vibe coding:

Describe → Generate → Test → Feedback → Repeat

Step 5: Deploy

Your app works locally. Now make it live on the internet.

Easy deployment options:

Typical deployment:

1. Push code to GitHub
2. Connect GitHub to Vercel/Netlify
3. Click “Deploy”
4. Get a live URL like yourapp.vercel.app

The Complete Workflow Visualized

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    YOUR IDEA                            │
│            "I want a to-do app"                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
                         ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  DESCRIBE IN DETAIL                     │
│   "Create a to-do app with categories,                  │
│    due dates, and a clean dark theme"                   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
                         ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  AI GENERATES CODE                      │
│   - Creates file structure                              │
│   - Writes components                                   │
│   - Adds styling                                        │
│   - Connects functionality                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
                         ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   RUN & TEST                            │
│   Does it work? Does it look right?                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │
              ┌──────────┴──────────┐
              ▼                     ▼
        ┌─────────┐           ┌───────────┐
        │   YES   │           │    NO     │
        │  WORKS! │           │  ISSUES   │
        └────┬────┘           └─────┬─────┘
             │                      │
             │                      ▼
             │         ┌─────────────────────────┐
             │         │    GIVE FEEDBACK        │
             │         │  "Fix the button..."    │
             │         └───────────┬─────────────┘
             │                     │
             │                     └──────────┐
             ▼                                │
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     DEPLOY                              │
│   Push to production → Share with the world! 🚀        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Common Iteration Examples

How Long Does This Take?

Note: These are rough estimates. Your mileage may vary based on complexity and how many iterations you need.

Next Steps

→ Planning for AI - The Blueprint for your project
→ Core Concepts - Understand the building blocks
→ AI-Powered IDEs - Pick your tool
→ Start Building — Create your first project