To Code Boldly: Vibe Coding, AI, and Protecting the Craft

Vibe coding is a pretty new term that’s been popping up online. It’s all about coding in a fast, intuitive way, without getting stuck on perfect structure or rules. 

These days, it often means working alongside AI tools like ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot. It’s a bit like pair programming, where the AI helps suggest code, explains things, and lets you move quickly. It’s a collaborative way of coding that feels more like bouncing ideas around than following a strict plan. 

How AI Fuels Vibe Coding 

AI is massively cutting down the time it takes to write code by suggesting whole blocks, solving problems, and helping with things that would normally take time to research or figure out through trial and error. 

As a seasoned web developer, I find this genuinely useful. You can move faster because you understand whether the suggested code makes sense, and how it fits into the bigger picture of the project. 

The issue is when people without that context or experience use the same tools and get similar-looking results. It feels like progress, but without understanding what the code does or how it works under the hood, things can go sideways fast. AI can produce code that looks correct but is completely off, for example, mixing up different versions of an API, using outdated methods, or combining concepts that don’t belong together. 

That might be less of a problem in smaller, less critical tasks like styling a landing page or putting together a quick prototype. But once you start working on more complex features or systems where reliability matters, those gaps in understanding can cause real issues. 

I ran a quick experiment and asked ChatGPT for a pros and cons list of vibe coding with AI. Some pros were lower barriers to experimentation and empowering non-experts. The cons? Developers skipping the “why,” and struggling to debug without AI. That really hits the core issue: are we creating a system where people can build without understanding what they’re building? 

Devaluing of coders 

Are We Undermining Our Own Profession? 

What worries me is that people trying to vibe-code as if it’s a real profession are ultimately creating a self-defeating situation. They’re devaluing coding by treating it like something anyone can do quickly without understanding the foundations. 

In many ways, coders have contributed to this problem ourselves. Over the years, coding has become an expensive profession. Salaries have kept climbing as demand exploded, and more people have entered the industry expecting high pay even for their first jobs. Now the market is becoming saturated. 

As a business owner, I get the need to keep costs down. Large companies, driven by profits and bonuses, are always looking for cheaper ways to get work done. From their perspective, why pay for seasoned developers when less experienced people can vibe their way to what looks like the same result? (Did I just coin a new term? Probably not.) 

But that’s where it becomes dangerous. We could end up with massive codebases full of brittle, confusing code riddled with bugs, security holes, and technical debt, and no one qualified to fix it. And when things go wrong, whether it’s a data breach, system failures, or compliance issues, who’s going to take the blame? I doubt it’ll be the AI companies. 

Is There a Balance? 

As with most things in life, I find myself thinking: What would they do in Star Trek? 

In that future, no one has to work, money doesn’t exist, and everyone strives for personal growth, contributing to society, and expanding knowledge. Great, sign me up. We’ve all got to have something to aim for. 

Whenever the crew faces a problem, they consult a hyper-intelligent computer that can do practically anything and holds all the knowledge they’ve ever collected. But here’s the key: the computer is just a tool. The people still have immense knowledge of how things work, and they’re constantly learning more to push the boundaries of what’s possible. 

Maybe that’s where we need to head with coding. The act of typing code isn’t the important part, it’s the understanding and creativity behind it. It’s the human spirit that drives us to explore new ideas, solve complex problems, and become true experts at what we do. 

Changing the Narrative 

I think it’s crucial that we start changing the narrative that some big tech CEOs and executives are trying to push—that coders are no longer important, and AI can simply replace them. It’s an appealing idea for companies looking to cut costs, but it’s incredibly short-sighted. 

We need to help people understand that deep knowledge of how good software should be structured and written is essential for the long-term success of any app or software project. AI might help write code faster, but it can’t replace human judgment, creativity, or the ability to design systems that are robust, secure, and scalable. 

Instead of seeing AI as a replacement for developers, we should be focusing on how it can become a better tool to help us work smarter. This means improving AI frameworks, building better tools for code completion, and creating smarter ways to test and validate code. But ultimately, it’s the expertise of skilled developers that ties everything together and ensures quality and maintainability in the long run. 

Coding isn’t just about typing words into a screen, it’s about understanding systems, anticipating problems, and crafting solutions that stand the test of time. 

So... 

Vibe coding and AI tools are changing how software gets written. For experienced developers, they can boost productivity and speed up experimentation. However, without strong fundamentals, relying too much on these shortcuts risks missing essential understanding. 

As the industry moves forward, it’s critical to maintain the value of deep technical knowledge while embracing tools that help us work smarter. Coding has never been just about typing lines of code—it’s about understanding how and why systems work and building solutions that last. 

AI should be a helpful assistant, not a replacement. If we get this balance right, we can move closer to a future like Star Trek, where technology supports human creativity and knowledge, unlocking our true potential. Often, I’m so busy juggling client projects, running a business (oh, and being a dad!) that I miss out on the latest memes and trends. But one topic that’s definitely been creeping into my TikTok and YouTube feeds lately is vibe coders and vibe coding—usually sandwiched between my recipes and those “person builds house in the woods” videos. Says a lot about my interests, I suppose. 

I hadn’t paid vibe coding much attention until I started getting job applications from people calling themselves “Prompt Engineers” and, more recently, from someone who described themselves as an actual “Vibe Coder.” That’s when my anxiety spiked about the accelerating impact of AI on coding as a profession. 

Are juniors and people just starting out still going to learn the fundamental knowledge of how coding and computers work? Or will AI and vibe coding mean they skip those essential foundations altogether? 

Want the human coding touch?

If you’re after experienced, strategic developers who know their stuff (and won’t just vibe code your project), get in touch. Let’s build something solid—no shortcuts, just smart code.