🎉 What’s Vibe Coding?

Imagine having a genius buddy who writes code for you just by chatting. That’s vibe coding in a nutshell — you dream up a tool, an app, or a way to automate a boring task, then ask an AI chatbot to whip up the code. No bootcamp required, no dry tutorials, just pure creative magic.

Over the last couple of years, vibe coding has taken off because, honestly, it works. People who can barely spell ‘variable’ are building real, useful stuff. (Fun fact: I’ve been dabbling myself and loving every minute.)

🤖 Step 1: Use an AI Chatbot, Not a Fancy AI IDE

Your first thought might be to dive into an AI-assisted developer environment — think Windsurf, Cursor, or Claude Code (technically not an IDE, but close enough). They sound perfect, right?

Not quite. These high-powered toys are designed to make experienced devs even faster. If you’re a vibe coding newbie, they might leave you scratching your head — and burning cash, since they’re pricier and mostly pay-per-use.

Instead, stick to a simpler AI chatbot approach. Sure, this means copy-pasting code back and forth between your chat window and your editor, but the hassle is totally manageable for small projects.

💡 Step 2: Pick Your AI Chatbot Wisely

There’s a bunch of AI chatbots that handle programming like pros. All the big names will get you started just fine, but here are my top picks:

• Free & Awesome? Hit up Google's AI Studio. It gives you free, almost unlimited access to their Gemini Pro model, which some folks swear by as the best out there. Downsides? Google trains on your data, there’s no desktop or mobile app, and the interface is super-basic. Still, for casual vibe coding, it’s a solid choice.

• Looking to spend a bit? Give Anthropic’s Claude Opus a whirl. I love Claude’s "Artifacts" feature — it neatly separates your code and even previews snippets in HTML or JavaScript. Plus, you can download your code directly. Some competitors copied this, but Anthropic nails it best!

🛠 Step 3: Stick to Popular, Forgiving Languages

The ocean of programming languages can drown even the staunchest newbies. Hundreds exist, opinions run wild, and picking one can feel like choosing a favorite child.

My advice? Keep it chill with popular, beginner-friendly languages:

• JavaScript/TypeScript — the web’s lingua franca
• Python — super readable and versatile
• HTML — web basics, can’t go wrong
• C# — if you want to feel a bit extra

These languages have tons of online examples, which makes AI’s job easier and your errors less painful.

(By contrast, Rust or C++ might make you want to throw your keyboard out the window.)

Oh, and if decision paralysis hits? Just describe what you want, and ask the AI to pick the best language for the job.

✍️ Step 4: Choose a Simple Code Editor

Feeling pressured to get Visual Studio or a massive IDE? Slow down! For vibe coding, simple editors are your friends:

• Notepad++ (my fave)
• Sublime Text
• UltraEdit

These editors look like your classic text editors but come with helpful perks — think syntax highlighting and code auto-completion. They won't overwhelm you with complex debugging or deployment features.

🐢 Step 5: Think Small (and Be Proud to Reinvent the Wheel)

Big projects can be monster headaches, even for pros. Vibe coding shines brightest on the bite-sized stuff.

Start tiny. Some great beginner projects:

• A Python script that scrapes or filters data
• Your own personal single-page website (HTML + JavaScript)
• A one-feature Python or C# app

My personal opener? A dice-rolling and text-to-speech tool for the tabletop game Battletech. Super specialized, totally fun. I also vibe coded my own simple personal website. Small, manageable, and hugely satisfying.

🔧 Step 6: Use AI to Troubleshoot and Document Everything

AI doesn’t just spit out code; it’s a wizard at debugging and explaining.

Running into snags like missing dependencies or confusing install steps? Just ask your AI assistant for a step-by-step on how to set up your environment or install libraries. It’s like having a patient tutor on call 24/7.

And don’t skip documentation. After every coding session, get your AI buddy to draft user instructions and a changelog for your program. Trust me, future you will thank present you when you come back to that code three months later (or switch computers).

🛠️ Step 7: Level Up with Arduino or Raspberry Pi

Want to feel a little more hands-on — literally? Arduino and the Raspberry Pi are fantastic playgrounds.

Heads up: This step costs more (hardware, soldering irons, and perhaps some knuckle-busting practice). Plus, AI can guide but can’t quite solder your circuits for you.

Pick a good tutorial like the Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers. The AI can help clarify concepts and tweak code — like when my temperature sensor wasn’t the same model as in the tutorial, and AI helped me adjust wiring and code in just 15 minutes!

🪄 Wrapping It Up

Vibe coding is changing the game. You no longer need to be a keyboard-warrior ninja to build apps or tools. With the right AI chatbots, simple editors, and a healthy dose of small-scale thinking, you can start creating today.

Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Why not start with Hostinger Horizons — build web apps and websites just by chatting with AI, no coding experience required.

Happy vibe coding, friend! 🚀

Written by Matthew S. Smith, a tech journalist who’s been coding beyond the vibe since, well, not too long ago.