AI glossary
Vibe coding
Building software by describing what you want to an AI and accepting its code with little reading or review.
The term, popularised in 2025, describes a style where you steer by results (“make the button bigger”, “it crashes when I click save”) rather than by reading code. It is great for prototypes, personal tools and learning.
For anything others depend on — handling money, personal data or security — the code still needs review, tests and someone who understands it.
Example: A teacher with no coding experience asks an assistant for “a website where my students can practise irregular verbs with flashcards”, tries it, asks for changes (“bigger”, “shuffle them”) and has it working in an afternoon.
In practice
- It is perfect for prototypes and personal tools.
- Before publishing something that handles other people’s data, have someone review the code.
- Use version control so you can go back when a change breaks everything.
The tools that make it possible: coding agent.
