Should you vibe code your MVP? A guide to AI-powered prototyping

Over the past year, startups have started prototyping products in a whole new way. Thanks to vibe coding, founders can build functional MVPs in hours instead of months. You don’t need to be a developer anymore - you just need a clear idea of what you want to create.

In this guide, we’ll break down when vibe coding makes sense for your startup, when it doesn’t, and which tools can help you get started.

‍

‍

What is vibe coding and why it matters?

‍

The term “vibe coding” was coined by Andrej Karpathy in February 2025. He described it as coding where you “give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.” In simple terms, it means you tell an AI coding tool what you want, and it generates working code for you. Platforms like Cursor, Replit, and Bolt.new let you describe features in plain language, and they’ll turn that into functional apps—without needing to memorize syntax or spend hours debugging. This is essentially conversational programming.

But why it matters? The numbers speak for themselves:

• Y Combinator reported that 25% of startups in its Winter 2025 batch had codebases that were 95% AI-generated.
• Nearly 41% of all code written in 2024 came from AI.
• Base44 grew to 250,000 users and hit nearly $200,000 in monthly profit in six months before being acquired by Wix for $80 million.
• Cursor scaled from zero to $100 million in annual recurring revenue in under two years.
  

But here’s the catch: vibe coding isn’t magic. It has specific use cases and real limitations.

‍

A step beyond lean startup

‍

‍

When Eric Ries published The Lean Startup in 2011, the core idea was simple but game-changing: build the smallest thing possible to test assumptions, then iterate based on feedback. Vibe coding takes this even further because code becomes disposable. In the past, building even a basic MVP required weeks of engineering work. Founders became emotionally attached to what they built, which made pivoting harder. Now, you can build a landing page in an hour, a working calculator in two, or an email-capturing lead magnet before lunch—all for a fraction of the cost. This lowers the psychological barrier to tossing out what doesn’t work and moving on quickly.

‍

Why product-minded founders thrive with vibe coding

‍

You don’t need to be an engineer, but vibe coding does mean getting hands-on. Think of it as being a product manager guiding an ultra-fast (but sometimes unpredictable) development team.

Key transferable skills include:

• Writing clear prompts (like writing requirements)
• Breaking down complex ideas into simple steps
• Testing workflows to confirm everything functions as expected
  

The best vibe coding projects start with ruthless simplicity: one feature, one user flow, one clear value. If you can’t describe your MVP in one paragraph, it’s probably too complex.

‍

Quick tips for better results

• Be very specific in your prompts (AI can’t read your mind)
• Ask for OWASP security protections upfront
• Start with one feature before expanding
• Always review generated code, especially anything handling authentication or user data

‍

Where AI coding shines (and where it fails)

Vibe coding is fantastic for:

• Landing pages and marketing sites
• Simple calculators or lead magnets
• Basic CRUD apps
• Prototypes and demos
• Internal tools with limited users

But it struggles with:

• Complex system architecture
• Large-scale performance optimization
• Security-heavy applications
• Multi-service integrations and DevOps
• Maintaining massive codebases

Even Microsoft (20–30% of its code is AI-generated) and Google (over 30%) still rely on thousands of engineers to handle the harder problems.

‍

The security problem

Security is vibe coding’s weakest link. Studies show that nearly 40% of AI-generated database queries are vulnerable to SQL injection, and about 25% are open to XSS attacks. For example, the platform Lovable had a critical flaw that let hackers access user data from hundreds of apps for months. So while AI can help you prototype faster, you’ll still need professional engineering to build secure, production-ready products.

‍

The vibe coding toolkit

‍

For beginners (zero coding experience):

‍

‍

• Bolt.new – Build React apps in your browser, zero setup required
• Lovable – Complete web apps with polished UIs
• Replit Agent – AI-powered cloud development environment

‍

For developers (who want more control):

‍

‍

• Cursor – A VS Code-based editor for iterative development
• Windsurf – AI-first IDE designed for flow state coding
• Continue – Open-source AI extension for VS Code and JetBrains
• v0.dev – Vercel’s tool for UI component generation
• Claude Code – Terminal-style coding assistant
• Fine – AI that supports end-to-end development

‍

The pros and cons of vibe coding your MVP

‍

The pros of vibe coding your MVP

1. Speed
2. You can get a working prototype in days instead of months. Tools like Lovable, Bolt.new, or AI-powered IDEs can generate entire app structures in minutes.
3. Lower Barrier to Entry
4. You don’t need to be a coding wizard. If you can describe your app in clear words, AI can translate that into code. Platforms such as Replit make it even easier for beginners to launch ideas.
5. Flexibility and Iteration
6. Since the AI is doing the heavy lifting, you’re free to experiment. You can try multiple directions, discard what doesn’t work, and pivot quickly.
7. Focus on the Big Picture
8. Instead of spending time on syntax or boilerplate, you can focus on user experience, customer needs, and validating your concept.

‍

The cons of vibe coding your MVP

1. Messy Code
2. AI-generated code is often functional but messy. It’s not always optimized, and it may be hard to maintain if you scale the app later.
3. Limited Customization
4. While AI can generate code quickly, fine-tuning complex features might require manual intervention—or hitting walls where the AI just can’t get it right.
5. Risk of Overconfidence
6. It’s tempting to think you’ve “built the product” when really you’ve built a fragile prototype.
7. Debugging Struggles
8. When something breaks, you may find yourself lost in AI-generated spaghetti code, unsure how to fix it.

‍

Should you vibe code? Questions to ask yourself

‍

Before you dive in, here are a few guiding questions:

• Do you need to validate your idea fast, with minimal investment?

• Are you comfortable with the possibility of rebuilding later from scratch?

• Do you value speed and learning over polish and scalability?

• Do you want to focus more on product vision than technical details?

If you answered yes to most of these, vibe coding could be a great fit for your MVP. If you’re building something that requires deep technical foundations (say, medical software or complex financial systems), a more structured approach might be better.

‍

A step-by-step guide to AI-powered vibe coding

‍

Step 1: Define your idea clearly

AI works best when you’re clear. Write down the problem your app solves, who it’s for, the must-have features, and how you imagine people using it.

‍

Step 2: Pick your tools

There are two main categories of tools:

• One-shot generators like Lovable or Bolt.new where you paste your idea and get a working app.

• AI coding assistants like Cursor or Windsurf where you build piece by piece, guided by AI.

‍

Step 3: Generate the foundation

Ask the AI to create the app’s basic structure. This is the skeleton, not the decoration.

‍

Step 4: Build the user experience

Work with the AI to design simple screens, forms, and menus. Tools like Figma can also help you visualize UI before coding.

‍

Step 5: Add core functionality

Pick one essential feature at a time. Don’t try to build everything at once.

‍

Step 6: Connect data

Most apps need some data. AI can set this up for you, or you can experiment with test datasets from sources like Kaggle.

‍

Step 7: Test and refine

Click every button. Try to break it. Ask friends to test it. Then use AI to refine.

‍

Pro tips for successful vibe coding

• Start small. Don’t try to build the “dream app.” Focus on the MVP.

• Keep prompts detailed. The clearer your requests, the better AI performs.

• Expect bugs. Debugging with AI is part of the journey.

• Document decisions. Keep notes on what features you added and why.

• Don’t get attached. Remember, this is about testing an idea, not building forever code.

‍

A real example: A mood-based restaurant app

‍

Say you want an app that recommends restaurants based on your mood. Instead of weeks learning frameworks, you could:

• Write a one-paragraph description.

• Use Lovable to create the base app.

• Ask it to generate screens: a home page, a filter screen, and a results list.

• Use sample restaurant data or APIs like Yelp Fusion for testing.

• Share it with friends for feedback.

In a few hours, you’d have something people can click through and test.

‍

Conclusion

So, should you vibe code your MVP? It depends on your goals. If you want to move fast, test ideas, and embrace a little chaos, vibe coding is your friend. It’s not perfect, but it’s powerful—you’ll get a prototype that helps you learn faster than traditional development ever could. Vibe coding isn’t about replacing developers or skipping hard work; it’s about giving you a faster, more playful way to bring ideas to life. Use it to validate, experiment, and iterate—and when the time is right, scale up with professional development.

When to transition from vibe coding to structured development

At some point, you’ll hit a wall. Maybe users love your prototype and you want to scale. Maybe your app needs better performance, stronger security, or a polished design. That’s when it’s time to move from vibe coding to structured development. Bringing in professional developers to rebuild or refactor isn’t a failure—it’s the natural next step. Think of vibe coding as building a Lego model before hiring an architect. It accelerates validation, but solid, production-ready construction comes next.

The future of vibe coding

We’re entering a world where anyone with an idea can build software. You don’t need to be a coder—you need to communicate clearly, experiment boldly, and guide the AI with vision. AI can generate code, but you decide which features matter, which flows feel natural, and when a prototype is ready to test. Tools like Cursor and Bolt.new make it easier than ever to bring your ideas to life. Resources like Wired’s take on vibe coding highlight how this trend is reshaping software creation.

‍

If you want help building an AI-powered product from scratch, book a free strategy session with Codelevate. We help founders build solutions that work - fast.