Vibe Coding is an emerging AI-assisted development method coined by Andrej Karpathy that allows non-technical people to create software products really quickly. The person describes a problem in a few sentences in the prompt box and the AI generates the code. It enables the rapid launch of WordPress plugins, SaaS apps, and other digital products with minimal or no programming knowledge at all. However, while it offers tremendous productivity benefits, it also introduces serious risks, including security vulnerabilities and unmaintainable code.
This article explores both the advantages and dangers of Vibe Coding, with actionable steps to mitigate risks while maximizing efficiency.
The Benefits of Vibe Coding
- Rapid Product Development
- AI-generated code speeds up the software development process, allowing businesses to launch WordPress plugins and SaaS apps faster than ever before.
- This quick turnaround is particularly useful for testing new ideas with minimal investment. Every new product is just an experiment until the market tells you that it really needs.
- Cost Savings
- Hiring experienced developers can be expensive. Vibe Coding lowers initial development costs by allowing non-technical founders to create functional products with AI assistance.
- Increased Productivity
- AI can suggest and generate large chunks of code, reducing the time required for repetitive tasks.
- Developers can focus on high-level problem-solving rather than writing boilerplate code.
- Easy Prototyping
- AI allows rapid prototyping and iteration, making it easier to refine software based on user feedback.
- Entrepreneurs can test multiple product ideas quickly before committing to full development.
The Risks of Vibe Coding
- Security Vulnerabilities
- AI-generated code may not follow best security practices, leaving software open to various attacks.
- WordPress plugins created with Vibe Coding can become easy targets for hackers if security checks and data sensitization are not implemented properly. Then the whole sites could be hijacked to display various spam content
- Technical Debt
- Copying and pasting AI-generated code without properly reviewing its logic can lead to poorly structured software.
- As the product's codebase grows, maintaining and debugging the software becomes increasingly difficult.
- Version Control Issues
- Many new and/or non-technical users fail/forget to use version control (such as Git), which makes it harder to track changes and revert mistakes.
- Without proper version control tool, AI-generated code updates can break existing perfectly working functionality.
- Unfixable Errors
- Large AI-generated code files (3,000–5,000 lines) are difficult to debug.
- If something goes wrong, even AI tools may struggle to identify the issue, leaving the developer stuck with a non-functioning product.
- Lack of AI Context Awareness
- AI tools generate code based on limited context, which means they might remove important code sections, important comments and/or introduce conflicts.
- Without understanding the full project scope, AI suggestions can lead to broken functionality.
Actionable Steps to Use Vibe Coding Safely
- Always Perform a thorough Code Review
- Never just accept AI-generated code without first reviewing it and testing it locally and on a staging site or server. Check for security risks, performance issues, and unintended side effects.
- If you're non-technical, work with a developer to audit the AI’s output.
- Implement Security Best Practices
- Sanitize user inputs to prevent SQL injections and XSS attacks in WordPress plugins and SaaS applications.
- Regularly update dependencies and use security plugins to protect against vulnerabilities.
- Use Version Control (Git)
- Commit changes frequently with meaningful commit messages, so you know when you started working on a given feature.
- If an AI-generated update causes issues, you should be able to revert to a previous (stable/working) version.
- Test AI-Generated Code in a Safe Environment
- Use a staging server to test AI-generated changes before deploying them to production. It's the responsible thing to do. Your customers should not be your beta testers whenever possible.
- Run automated tests to catch potential issues as early as possible.
- Pair AI With Human Oversight
- AI is a powerful assistant, but it works best when guided by human expertise.
- Experienced developers should oversee AI-generated code to ensure quality, performance and security.
- Monitor and Maintain Your Product
- Regularly update WordPress plugins and SaaS apps to fix security vulnerabilities.
- Set up logging and error tracking to detect and resolve issues early.
- Enter passwords and API keys in .env files and do not include them in the source code because if somebody manages to access that source file from the version control they might just copy the credentials and make requests on your behalf and that could lead to higher expenses depending on the used resources.
AI is getting so good that sometimes it may feel like you're chatting with a real person, and you might even get frustrated when the AI doesn't understand what you're asking it. You have to provide details and context what you want it to do. Do it in small tasks. If you're getting angry that's a clear sign that you’re doing Vibe Coding, focusing more on quick results rather than focusing on understanding the solution that's being offered.
It’s important to learn what the AI is suggesting. If something isn’t clear to you, ask it to explain why a particular solution is better. Then, ask it to optimize the code, then ask it to suggest security improvements. Keep guiding the AI until it generates and confirms that the code is in a good shape.
Request that it follows the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle to avoid code duplication. Again do it by going through this process step by step, you’ll end up with a well-structured and maintainable code, rather than expecting perfection from the first attempt.
Real-Life Examples of Vibe Coding Gone Wrong
Developers and businesses have already faced issues related to Vibe Coding:
- Massive Fake Signups: A SaaS product experienced 1,000+ fake signups every few minutes
- Unmaintainable Codebase: An AI tool generated a file for a SaaS app to nearly 4,000 lines of AI-generated code, making debugging and troubleshooting too time consuming or impossible.
- Broken product code: A developer didn't use version control and the AI tool broke their whole project
- AI Fails at Fixing Its Own Mistakes: When a SaaS app stopped working, the AI tool that created it could not diagnose or repair the issue, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
- Security issues on Leo's app
The Future of Vibe Coding
Vibe Coding will continue to shape the way software is built. Some developers will embrace it, while others will resist it. Over time, those who learn to use AI effectively will gain a competitive edge.
To stay ahead:
- Treat AI as a coding assistant, not a replacement for developers.
- Learn to manage AI-generated code like a project lead overseeing a junior developer.
- Keep improving security, testing, and code review processes to ensure long-term product success.
AI will eventually reach human-level context understanding, making programming more about defining functionalities rather than writing code. Until then, developers and business owners must balance the speed of AI-assisted development with the responsibility of building secure, maintainable software.
Here's another discussion on reddit about Vibe coding is a trap in the long run
As Vibe Coding becomes more mainstream, we may see the rise of specialized roles focused on managing and reviewing AI-generated code. Just like traditional software projects rely on developers, QA engineers, and project managers, Vibe Coding projects will likely need professionals who understand how to guide AI, assess code quality, and ensure that security and performance standards are met. These developers won’t necessarily write the code themselves but will act as a bridge between product goals and AI-generated implementation. Their job will be to ask the right questions, review proposed solutions, and iterate until the output is clean, secure, and scalable.
Here are some possible names for these emerging roles:
- Vibe Code Manager
- AI Coding Strategist
- Prompt-to-Production Coordinator
- AI Development Supervisor
- Vibe Programming Analyst
- Code Conversation Lead
- AI Code Quality Reviewer
- Context-Aware Code Advisor
- Prompt Engineering Project Manager
- AI-Augmented Development Facilitator
By following best practices, Vibe Coding can be a powerful productivity tool rather than a liability. The key is to stay proactive, review AI-generated code carefully, and always prioritize security and maintainability.
What do you think about Vibe Coding?
