TL;DR - Vibe coding feels fast and creative, but it often hides security issues and technical debt. - Treat AI output like code from a junior teammate: review, test, and harden. - Use vibe coding for prototypes and drafts; add guardrails before production.

Vibe coding - writing software "by feel" with AI help - is buzzing through dev circles. It promises speed and flow. It also carries hidden costs: brittle code, missed threats, and a skills slide if you rely on vibes alone.

This post explains what vibe coding is, why it’s seductive, where it goes wrong, and how to keep the benefits without shipping risky software.

What is vibe coding?

Vibe coding is prompting an AI to generate code, focusing on intent instead of syntax. You describe what you want; the assistant fills in the details.

The workflow feels like a conversation: "Add an endpoint that does X", "Refactor this into Y", "Wire it to Z". Speed and flow take priority over planning and manual implementation.

Used well, it’s a powerful accelerator. Used carelessly, it’s a fast path to fragile systems.

Why developers are vibing

  • Speed and flow: short feedback loops, less context switching, fewer boilerplate tasks.
  • Lower barrier: newcomers can prototype without deep stack knowledge.
  • Instant gratification: features appear quickly; teams demo sooner and iterate faster.
  • Great for prototypes: sketch ideas, validate assumptions, win buy‑in.

But velocity can create the illusion of progress: "99% done, 99 bugs to go." You reach "working" fast, then pay the bill later in debugging, security, and scale.

Security risks hiding in the vibe

  • Insecure defaults and misconfiguration. It "works," but is the storage bucket public? Are auth and roles configured? Defaults often aren’t safe.
  • Missing input validation (injections). Concatenated SQL, unsanitized input, and quick fixes invite SQLi/XSS/command injection.
  • Hardcoded secrets and data leaks. Keys in code or logs are common when vibing. Treat secrets as toxic; externalize early.
  • Unsafe patterns and outdated libs. AI suggests plausible patterns, not necessarily safe ones (eval, unsafe deserialization, weak crypto).

Add security as a first‑class prompt: ask for parameterized queries, input validation, least privilege, and secure configs - don’t assume it.

The long‑term costs (tech debt and fragility)

  • Debt factory. Skipped tests, duplicated code, magic values - they ship quickly and slow you later.
  • Poor scalability/perf. O(n²) happy‑path logic and sequential API loops collapse at real load.
  • Black‑box codebases. Large AI‑generated chunks become opaque. Debugging slows; fear of change grows.

Plan refactors as part of the work. Integrate tests as you stabilize. Keep modules small and named for their purpose.

Erosion of skills and culture

  • Stunted learning. Over‑reliance on AI reduces deep problem‑solving reps, especially for juniors.
  • False confidence. "It runs" feels like "it’s right." Without reviews/tests, defects slip to prod.
  • Weakened accountability. Regardless of origin, you own the code you ship.

Maintain a review culture. Pair on AI prompts. Explain why a change is safe, not just that it works.

How to vibe responsibly (a quick checklist)

  • Scope: use vibes for drafts and scaffolding; tighten for production.
  • Reviews: treat AI output like junior code; line‑by‑line, with comments.
  • Tests: write small tests for critical paths before/after generation.
  • Security: prompt for input validation, least‑privilege configs, parameterized queries; run a secrets/leaks scan before commit.
  • Dependencies: prefer maintained libs; avoid outdated patterns suggested by snippets.
  • Observability: add errors, metrics, and sensible logs so issues surface quickly.
  • Prompts: be explicit about constraints (performance, safety, UX) and non‑goals.

Key takeaways

  • Vibe coding is great for speed; unsafe for prod without guardrails.
  • Add rigor: reviews, tests, secure defaults, and explicit constraints.
  • Keep learning: use AI to augment, not replace, engineering judgment.

Enjoy the vibe - and respect the code.