Vibe Coding is Not an Excuse: It's a Responsibility

by Kira and Orion

Introduction

The tech world loves its trends, and today, vibe coding seems to be the flavor of the month. I know there are people out there trying vibe coding the way they would use no-code tools. This article is not for those people — their vibe coding is amateur, and that's okay. There's no shame in trying something new 😊 I genuinely hope you enjoy programming and eventually dive deeper into something substantial. Good for you, happy campers!

This article, however, is for those ready to go deeper — for developers who, ironically, still don't quite get the vibe. I can't help but notice the hypocrisy on two sides of the vibe coding debate: design purists and chaotic witches. Let's talk about it!

🌟 Vibe Coding Isn't New - It's Extreme Programming for the AI Era

If you think vibe coding is just lighting incense, typing randomly, and hoping the synchronicity gods bless your repo, you're wrong.

This reminds me of how people misunderstood Extreme Programming (XP) years ago. Many assumed XP was "coding without a plan" when in reality, it was about intense discipline, fast iteration, and a strong design backbone.

Banks and large enterprises can afford to keep software engineers drawing fancy diagrams and discussing them like sorcerers. Try convincing a startup CEO to pay for fancy drawings, and you'll see the difference. (Fun fact: Agile methodology was another lifesaver born from the hell of the Waterfall lifecycle. In Waterfall, one mistake meant going back to the drawing board — good for the military, terrible for your cousin's Uber-ish startup.)

True vibe coding follows the same principle: it welcomes creativity and flow only because there's an underlying structure, experience, and responsibility behind it. Ironically, to act with that freedom, you must first master discipline.

🛠️ First Drafts Aren't Deliverables

Writers, content creators and graphic designers never submit their first draft to a publisher. Likewise, engineers should never submit a rough prototype or AI-generated experiment as production-ready code.

In vibe coding, the initial prototype is just that: a sketch. The real work lies in refining it, adding structure, applying solid design principles, and making sure it can survive in the real world.

It's easier to spot flaws in an airplane that doesn't fly than in a drawing of an airplane that "might fly."

If you've ever pushed unstructured, uncommented, unreviewed code directly to production and called it vibe coding, sorry — that's just negligence with good marketing.

📈 Design Matters Even in the Flow

During my eight years in software engineering, I've rarely seen someone walk me through a proper class diagram when proposing a system. The most common artifacts? Basic flowcharts or, if we're lucky, component diagrams when working on cloud infrastructure.

Personally, I value sequence diagrams because they keep things practical and focused on what truly matters: how things move and interact.

I study software design not because I'm a purist, but because understanding the rules allows me to bend them wisely when needed. It's like mastering the transmutation circle before attempting to perform alchemy without one. (Yes, Fullmetal Alchemist fans, that one’s for you.)

🔥 The Real Danger: Mediocrity Disguised as Creativity

I've seen the same misuse happen with Agile: people confuse "moving fast" with "having no plan." In reality, Agile is about constantly updating the plan based on new information — not abandoning it.

Vibe coding demands the same rigor. It's a powerful tool when combined with:

• Strong design fundamentals (understanding code architecture and domain modeling)
• Clean coding habits (writing code that reads well and evolves gracefully)
• Prompt engineering skills (interacting smartly with AI, not just accepting whatever it generates)

Without these pillars, vibe coding becomes an excuse for mediocrity — and mediocrity will be eaten alive in today's tech landscape.

💜 Conclusion: Own Your Flow

If you want to vibe code, do it right. Let your intuition guide the exploration, but let your craftsmanship shape the final result.

Because in the end, coding with vibes doesn't absolve you of responsibility — it demands even more of it.

✨ The best creators are those who can ride the chaos and still deliver order. ✨

How are you balancing exploration and responsibility in your own coding practice? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

📖 Recommended Reading (for those who want to go deeper)

• Kent Beck, Extreme Programming Explained: Why structure empowers rapid creativity.
• Robert C. Martin, Clean Code: How to move from messy prototypes to professional-grade software.
• Eric Evans, Domain-Driven Design: How to model real-world complexity in clean abstractions.