The world of software development has changed drastically in recent years. One central concept that is becoming increasingly important is Vibe Coding. But what exactly is behind this term? How does it influence programming and what role does AI-supported software development play?
Vibe Coding: What's behind it?
Vibe coding is a type of software development in which no code is written and the AI writes the code instead. The task of the "developer" is only to feed the AI with the appropriate prompts.
What may seem utopian at first glance works frighteningly well in practice. However, the code generated by the AI is the result of an LLM (Large Language Model). This means that hallucinations occur, outdated examples are used, an unsuitable structure is taken as a model, etc. The AI simply parrots what it has found in the training data.
Software development in the age of AI
Software development is undergoing a transformation. In the past, programmers had to code everything manually; today, artificial intelligence and automation are helping them to work faster and more efficiently. The growing role of AI in programming means that traditional working methods are increasingly being supplemented or even replaced. Generated code from AI models can help automate standard tasks and make developers more productive.
The tools currently fall into two categories:
- Plugins for existing IDEs
- Completely "new" IDEs
The IDEs are of course not completely newly developed. Cursor and Windsurf are based on Visual Studio Code. As it is available as open source, nobody needs to start from scratch.
The plugin-based solutions tend to rely on better code completion. For example, GitHub Copilot or JetBrains' own plugins offer significantly more powerful autocompletion than was previously the case. However, the following also applies here: hallucinations occur. The tools currently do not incorporate the existing code enough.
This is different with the IDEs. Cursor and Windsurf try to provide the LLMs with more context. As a result, the generated code is often closer to the existing code. But here, too, there are total dropouts. The main difference lies in the depth of integration. Windsurf runs the automated tests or starts the compiler to draw conclusions from the output. This makes routine work significantly faster.
AI as support for programmers
One of the best-known experts in this field is Andrej Karpathy, who emphasizes that AI should be a kind of "co-pilot" for developers. He has coined the term Vibe Coding characterized.
Instead of writing entire programs autonomously, it acts as an assistant that makes suggestions, detects errors and speeds up the development process.
Debugging is a good example. With the help of AI, errors can be found and rectified more quickly without programmers having to laboriously go through every single step. This saves time and increases productivity enormously.
Tools for AI-supported software development
Which tools best support AI-supported software development? Here are some of the most popular solutions:
- Cursor - A modern AI-supported development environment based on VS Code that suggests code and recognizes errors at an early stage.
- Windsurf - IDE also based on VS Code
- GitHub Copilot - An AI that helps with programming and automatically generates code blocks.
- Tabnine - Another AI-based auto-completion software for developers.
These tools help to support the creative flow in vibe coding by taking over repetitive tasks.
The working world of software developers is changing
Although AI can be a great help, there are also challenges. Software developers need to learn how to use AI-supported tools properly and integrate them effectively into their workflow.
The question also remains as to how AI will affect software development in the long term. Will it soon only be a task for machines, or will human creativity remain irreplaceable?
At the moment, I'm not worried that developers will be completely replaced by AI. But we are becoming much more productive, so the demand for software developers is currently falling. Some big players are laying off developers. Whether this can only be attributed to AI remains to be seen. However, the days when developers could choose a job from a large number of vacancies are over.
From this, every developer can only conclude that they have to keep up. Those who do not yet rely on AI-supported tools will very quickly fall behind. We therefore also recommend in our trainings actively use AI when working on exercises.
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Coding in the new era of software development
The way we code has changed dramatically in recent years. Programmers no longer have to concentrate on every single aspect of the code, but can focus more on the architecture and logic of their applications thanks to AI assistance systems.
This also means that the requirements for programming languages and development processes will change. While some traditional methods will remain in place, the influence of AI will become ever greater.
Nobody needs to develop a prototype completely by themselves anymore. AI can do this for us because a prototype no longer needs to be maintained. This in itself revolutionizes software development because we can obtain feedback more quickly. AI practically takes over here.
Effects on software development
What impact does all this have on software development? The following points seem important to me:
- More productivity: AI support enables developers to work faster.
- Less repetitive workAutomated processes save time and energy.
- Generate testsThis tests the current status and detects changes in behavior.
- Higher code qualityAI assistance helps to detect and avoid errors at an early stage.
- Lower code qualityCompletely generated code usually has too little structure.
- New challengesDevelopers must learn to interact with AI and use it sensibly.
The future of software development will therefore be a combination of human creativity and machine support - an exciting development that is constantly evolving. Vibe coding is drastically changing the working world of software developers. And there will certainly be even more tasks for AI in the future than just generating code.
Conclusion: Vibe coding is the future
Vibe Coding stands for a new way of programming that focuses on creativity, flow and efficiency. AI plays a crucial role in this and makes it possible to fundamentally improve the way we write code.
With the right tools and an open attitude towards new technologies, developers can make the most of the opportunities offered by AI-supported software development - and perhaps even enjoy programming more than ever before.
But it also applies: the principles and practices of the Clean Code Developer initiative remain relevant. The AI does not yet have this in mind. As developers, we currently have to take care of the structure above all. Both on a small scale (detailed design) and on a large scale (architecture). At the same time, if you are not yet using AI tools on a daily basis, you should step on the gas and jump on the bandwagon before it leaves.