Ever wished you could save hours each week? Discover how I unlocked the art of vibe coding to create two Chrome extensions that transformed my productivity.

✨ Unlocking Productivity: How I Vibe-Coded Two Chrome Extensions for Maximum Efficiency

For ages, I've dreamt of crafting my own little apps tailored to my daily needs. But let’s be honest: I'm a designer, not a developer! Learning code felt daunting, and while no-code tools like Glide or Bubble were tempting, they always felt just a bit too limited for my innovative ideas. Then, the AI revolution surged in, and it was like opening a treasure chest of opportunities! 🚀

In this article, I’m excited to show you how vibe coding enabled me to build two personal Chrome extensions that save me hours every week. You will also glean some key insights on how you can do it too!

🧠 What is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding is the magical blend of natural language and coding capabilities, allowing you to craft apps simply by describing what you want in plain English. The idea was popularized by Andrej Karpathy, an AI wizard (and former OpenAI expert), who essentially declared that creativity could be unleashed without traditional coding barriers.

You tell an AI tool what you want, and it whips up functional code for you. It’s that simple! Instead of wrestling with lines of code, you focus on perfecting your ideas, and for a designer, that’s pure gold!

💡 Why Vibe Coding Matters for Designers

With vibe coding in your toolkit, you’re equipped to:

Prototype Quickly: Ever tried demonstrating an app idea with static screens? Meh, right? Now, you can turn ideas into interactive prototypes with a few descriptive prompts.
Build Custom Solutions: Imagine needing a specific plugin for Figma. Instead of searching endlessly, you can just vibe code your way to a custom solution in no time!

🪄 How Vibe Coding Can Make a Designer's Daily Work Easier

Here are two primary ways vibe coding can streamline your workflow and elevate your creativity:

Prototyping Made Simple: You can vividly show how an app should function, beyond mere static designs. With vibe coding, you can ask AI to translate your visions into functional prototypes.
Creating Custom Plugins: Building plugins is just as simple. For instance, I couldn't find a plugin for bulk actions in Figma, so I created one! It saved precious hours.

⏳ Two Chrome Extensions That Save Me Hours Every Week

Now, let's delve into the two gems I created using vibe coding.

📝 1. The Smart Form Filler

Filling out job applications can be mind-numbingly tedious, right? Repeating information like your name and LinkedIn link over and over again was driving me up the wall. I whipped up a Chrome extension that auto-fills forms in a snap!

How It Works: Users upload a .csv file with their details. The extension smartly matches input fields even if the labels change! No database worries here either—keeping it simple.

🔍 2. The Trend Tracker for X

The second extension helps me discover what's trending on X (formerly Twitter). Searching for what’s relevant to my industry used to be a chore. Now, it’s just one click away!

Functionality: Enter your topics, set filters for likes and timeframes, and voila—get the latest stats without navigating through noisy feeds.

💡 Insights I Gained from Building These Extensions

Building these extensions taught me several lessons:

Start with a Design in Figma: Handling your app's design early on clarifies your layout and makes coding smoother.
Write Clear Prompts: Communicating precisely with AI tools helps them generate better outputs. Specify what you want changed and even upload sketches!
Iterative Building: Tackle one small feature at a time and test its viability before moving onto the next.
Use Vibe Coding Tools: Explore AI tools like Lovable or Figma Make for easy app creation—all without needing deep coding knowledge.
Test, Test, and Test Again: Especially crucial for published products. No one wants a buggy app!

🤖 What AI Software Can You Use to Vibe Code?

There are several nifty tools for vibe coding:

AI Canvas Tools: Leverage platforms with built-in AI capabilities that allow you to build simple apps instantly!
Browser-Based Builders: Look towards tools like Figma Make, which simplify the creation process and allow you to build right in your browser!
AI-Powered IDEs: For the coding-savvy, explore advanced tools like Windsurf and Cursor that grant you deeper control—perfect for complex projects!

✋ Last Words

While vibe coding is revolutionary for personal projects and small apps, it’s essential to recognize its limits for larger, intricate applications handling sensitive data. Always keep security and complexity in mind!

Whether you’re a designer hoping to create custom apps or just someone looking to automate tedious tasks, I truly believe vibe coding can unlock incredible productivity. Go on, give it a try—your future self will thank you!

Ready to unlock your productivity? Check out LogRocket for more awesome tools and insights to enhance your workflow!