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[...]the advice tends to steer you toward professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it's easy to fall into analysis paralysis. Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding: * Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping webpages for data or filtering documents by various criteria. * A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript. * A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#. [...]heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies.
Want to code your own scripts and apps using Al? Here's some guidance to get you started off on the right foot.
Vibe coding is programming by gut feel. You have an idea for a tool, a website, or a repetitive task you want to automate... but instead of enrolling in a coding boot camp or slogging through YouTube tutorials, you fire up an artificial intelligence chatbot and have it write the code for you.
This Al-driven approach to creative coding has exploded in popularity over the past year or two-chiefly because it works. People are building genuinely useful stuff without even knowing what variable is. I've been vibe coding my own apps with Al (fave. co/3TAXmSL) and I'm absolutely loving it, despite being a relative newbie to coding.
But most advice about Al-assisted programming still assumes you want to become a "real" programmer eventually. Because of that, the advice tends to steer you toward professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. You need a different-and easier-approach.
Here's what you really need to start vibe coding your own stuff right now, without any of the BS that only complicates matters.
USE AN Al CHATBOT, NOT AN AI-ASSISTED IDE
Your first instinct might be to use an Al-assisted integrated development environment (IDE), one you've heard is good for vibe coding, like Windsurf, Cursor, or even Claude Code (which technically isn't an IDE, but that's besides the point). All of these tools are built for Al coding, so they're the best place to start, right?
Well...no. These tools are designed to make highly productive programmers even more productive, and that means they assume a level of knowledge that amateur coders-like you and me-lack. Diving into these programs straight away is likely to leave you confused and discouraged.
Not to mention that Al-powered IDEs are pretty darn expensive, too. While most offer a bit of free use, it's easy for even uber-casual vibe coders to find themselves in need of a paid plan. Many such IDEs charge based on usage instead of a flat monthly rate, too.
As an amateur vibe coder, you're better off using an Al chatbot. The downside here is that you'll need to copy and paste code back and forth between the chatbot and your code editor. It's a bit of a nuisance, but it's not too bad if your project is small.
CHOOSE YOURAI CHATBOT CAREFULLY
When it comes to Al chatbots with programming proficiency, there are several you can choose from. All of the popular ones are good enough to get you started, but even so, | have a couple recommendations.
Don't want to spend a dime? Try Google's Al Studio (fave.co/ 4nSm9Q4). This often undera ppreciated Al tool provides free and effectively unlimited access to Google's latest Gemini Pro models, which many consider the best in the business, without making you pay a cent.
Google Al Studio does have a few downsides. Google will train on your data (most paid services promise they don't), the interface isn't the best, and there's no desktop or mobile version. None of these are serious obstacles for amateur vibe coding, though.
But if you're willing to pay a bit and you want an attractive interface with desktop and mobile apps, | recommend Anthropic's Claude Opus (fave.co/469Y54G).
| like Claude's Artifacts feature, which breaks code out in a separate interface pane. It can even execute some code (like HTML or JavaScript) to provide a preview in Claude itself, and you can download code to your PC from this pane. Competitors have emulated it with similar features, but | think Anthropic's implementation remains the best.
STICK TO POPULAR PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
Choosing a programming language is a major obstacle for both amateur and experienced programmers. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it's easy to fall into analysis paralysis.
When it comes to vibe coding, though, | recommend that you stick with languages that are both popular and forgiving. That means the usual suspects of JavaScript or TypeScript, Python, HTML, and perhaps C# if you're feeling saucy. Al does best with these languages because Al models are trained on data from across the web. The more popular the language, the more examples there are to train on-and the more source data to work with, the better the generative results.
As for how forgiving a particular language is, it's an important aspect to consider, because you'll be quicker to get a program up and running even when it has bugs. Some languages, like Rustand C++, have strict syntax and architectural demands that can be a nightmare to debug.
Veteran coders are likely to recoil at the idea of willingly accepting bugs in a program, but for beginners, it's better to have a buggy yet functional program than one that was abandoned because it never worked.
Alternatively, you could let the Al choose your language for you. Describe the program you want to create and ask the chatbot to make it in whatever language seems most appropriate.
CHOOSE A SIMPLE CODE EDITOR
Once you have a chatbot and coding language picked, you'll need to choose the software you use to edit code.
You may feel pushed toward a full-blown programming IDE like Visual Studio, which is admittedly powerful but, again, designed for people who have some knowledge of programming. For casual vibe coding, | recommend a simpler code editor like Notepad++ (fave.co/40ECGM]), Sublime Text (fave.co/40k0ztv), or UltraEdit (fave. co/3UcgCGe). (My bias is toward Notepad++.)
Code editors lack the comprehensive terminal, debugging, and remote development features found in many IDEs. However, they still provide a fast, functional, and approachable interface that looks more like the bare-bones text editors you've probably used (such as Notepad), and they still provide handy features like code autocompletion.
THINK SMALL (AND REINVENT THE WHEEL)
Scope creep is a common problem all programmers face, and it can stop you cold. Big projects are more difficult than small projects, and vibe coding grows more difficult as the size of a project increases.
So while it might be tempting to try vibe coding your way to a full-blown 3D game or world-class accounting software, you might want to hold your horses and start small- very small.
Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding:
* Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping webpages for data or filtering documents by various criteria.
* A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript.
* A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#.
My first vibe-coded project was a dicerolling tool with text-to-speech capability for the tabletop strategy game Battletech. It can roll dice and announce the results of a roll, speeding up play. | also vibe coded my own personal website (fave.co/4j6Ljro), a single page of HTML with some JavaScript.
USE Al TO TROUBLESHOOT ISSUES, ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND GENERATE DOCUMENTATION
You might be surprised by how quickly Al can help you vibe code basic tools and programs. It's so easy to pop out a quick Python script that you may find yourself doing it several times a day sometimes.
However, heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies.
For example, Python programs typically don't work right out of the box. You'll need to install Python as well as the various libraries that are used to accomplish different things in a script. Not only do you have to figure that out, but if you ever move to another computer, you'll also have to set up Python and those dependencies on that computer as well.
Fortunately, Al is great at solving this problem. Just ask, and it'll provide you with instructions on how to install a new programming language and any related libraries on your computer. This will typically involve a handful of command-line prompts.
| also recommend ending every vibe coding session by asking the Al to create documentation that teaches new users how to use the generated program. And when you use Al to modify existing scripts or programs, it's a good idea to ask for a change log of everything it does. Documentation will help you remember how your program works and help you getit working when you switch computers.
PICK UP ARDUINO AND/OR RASPBERRY PI
Python scripts and webpages can be useful, but they lack pizzazz...and that can be discouraging for any new vibe coder. If you want to try programming something that feels more tangible and exciting, then | recommend picking up an Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi.
Going this route is likely to increase your starting costs and will make your vibe coding journey more complicated. You'll need to buy some hardware and most likely a soldering iron. You're also going to need to pick up some skills that Al can't help with, like soldering.
While you can use Al to suggest Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi projects, | recommend picking a tutorial that already exists, like this Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers (fave.co/4417Brg). The tutorial explains the basics, of course, but the Al chatbot can further explain concepts that you don't quite understand and handle edge cases.
For example, | had a different temperature sensor than the one in the tutorial, so | had to wire it differently than how it was shown and make changes to the code to identify my sensor. With the help of Al, | was able to make the required changes in just 15 minutes.
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