Karpathy described his approach as conversational, using voice commands while AI generates the actual code. "It's not really coding - I just see things, say things, run things, and copy-paste things, and it mostly works." Karpathy acknowledged that vibe coding has limitations, noting that AI tools are not always able to fix or understand bugs, requiring him to experiment with unrelated changes until the problems are resolved. He concluded that he found the technique "not too bad for throwaway weekend projects" and described it as "quite amusing".
The concept of vibe coding elaborates on Karpathy's claim from 2023 that "the hottest new programming language is English", meaning that the capabilities of LLMs were such that humans would no longer need to learn specific programming languages to command computers.
A key part of the definition of vibe coding is that the user accepts code without full understanding. Programmer Simon Willison said: "If an LLM wrote every line of your code, but you've reviewed, tested, and understood it all, that's not vibe coding in my book—that's using an LLM as a typing assistant."
Vibe coding has raised concerns about understanding and accountability. Developers may use AI-generated code without fully comprehending its functionality, leading to undetected bugs, errors, or security vulnerabilities. While this approach may be suitable for prototyping or "throwaway weekend projects" as Karpathy originally envisioned, it is considered by some experts to pose risks in professional settings, where a deep understanding of the code is crucial for debugging, maintenance, and security. Ars Technica cites Simon Willison, who stated: "Vibe coding your way to a production codebase is clearly risky. Most of the work we do as software engineers involves evolving existing systems, where the quality and understandability of the underlying code is crucial."
Generative AI is highly capable of handling simple tasks like basic algorithms. However, such systems struggle with more novel, complex coding problems like projects involving multiple files; poorly documented libraries; or critical code that has real-world impacts.
LLMs generate code dynamically, and the structure of such code may be subject to variation. In addition, since the developer did not write the code, they may struggle to understand syntax/concepts that they themselves have not used.
@karpathy (2025-02-02). "There's a new kind of coding I call "vibe coding", where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists" (Tweet). Retrieved 2025-07-03 – via Twitter. https://x.com/karpathy/status/1886192184808149383
Karpathy, Andrej (2025-04-27). "Vibe coding MenuGen". karpathy.bearblog.dev. Retrieved 2025-07-03. https://karpathy.bearblog.dev/vibe-coding-menugen/
Edwards, Benj (2025-03-05). "Will the future of software development run on vibes?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-03. The technique, enabled by large language models (LLMs) from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, has attracted attention for potentially lowering the barrier to entry for software creation. But questions remain about whether the approach can reliably produce code suitable for real-world applications, even as tools like Cursor Composer, GitHub Copilot, and Replit Agent make the process increasingly accessible to non-programmers. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/
"What is 'vibe code'? Former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy defines a new era in AI-driven development". The Times of India. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-06-03. Karpathy's "vibe coding" is a recognition of how sophisticated AI systems have evolved. In describing on X (formerly Twitter), he added that LLMs, like the Cursor Composer with Sonnet, are advancing to a degree that nearly eliminates the use of traditional coding mechanisms. Describing his own experience, Karpathy explained how he converses with AI tools almost in a passive manner—merely talking to them and having the AI handle the rest. This method eliminates manually typing code as well as keeping track of all the minute information in the program. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-vibe-coding-former-tesla-ai-director-andrej-karpathy-defines-a-new-era-in-ai-driven-development/articleshow/118659724.cms
Roose, Kevin (February 27, 2025), "Not a Coder? With A.I., Just Having an Idea Can Be Enough.", The New York Times, ISSN 0362-4331, retrieved June 3, 2025, Vibecoding, a term that was popularized by the A.I. researcher Andrej Karpathy, is useful shorthand for the way that today's A.I. tools allow even nontechnical hobbyists to build fully functioning apps and websites, just by typing prompts into a text box. You don't have to know how to code to vibecode — just having an idea, and a little patience, is usually enough. "It's not really coding," Mr. Karpathy wrote this month. "I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/technology/personaltech/vibecoding-ai-software-programming.html
Chowdhury, Hasan; Mann, Jyoti (2025-02-13). "Silicon Valley's next act: bringing 'vibe coding' to the world". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2025-02-26. Retrieved 2025-03-03. https://www.businessinsider.com/vibe-coding-ai-silicon-valley-andrej-karpathy-2025-2
"What is 'vibe code'? Former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy defines a new era in AI-driven development". The Times of India. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-06-03. Karpathy's "vibe coding" is a recognition of how sophisticated AI systems have evolved. In describing on X (formerly Twitter), he added that LLMs, like the Cursor Composer with Sonnet, are advancing to a degree that nearly eliminates the use of traditional coding mechanisms. Describing his own experience, Karpathy explained how he converses with AI tools almost in a passive manner—merely talking to them and having the AI handle the rest. This method eliminates manually typing code as well as keeping track of all the minute information in the program. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-vibe-coding-former-tesla-ai-director-andrej-karpathy-defines-a-new-era-in-ai-driven-development/articleshow/118659724.cms
Chowdhury, Hasan; Mann, Jyoti (2025-02-13). "Silicon Valley's next act: bringing 'vibe coding' to the world". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2025-02-26. Retrieved 2025-03-03. https://www.businessinsider.com/vibe-coding-ai-silicon-valley-andrej-karpathy-2025-2
Edwards, Benj (2025-03-05). "Will the future of software development run on vibes?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-03. The technique, enabled by large language models (LLMs) from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, has attracted attention for potentially lowering the barrier to entry for software creation. But questions remain about whether the approach can reliably produce code suitable for real-world applications, even as tools like Cursor Composer, GitHub Copilot, and Replit Agent make the process increasingly accessible to non-programmers. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/
"vibe coding". Slang & Trending. Merriam-Webster. March 8, 2025. Retrieved 2025-06-02. Vibe coding (also written as vibecoding) (Vibecode/Vibecoder) is a recently-coined term for the practice of writing code, making web pages, or creating apps, by just telling an AI program what you want, and letting it create the product for you. In vibe coding the coder does not need to understand how or why the code works, and often will have to accept that a certain number of bugs and glitches will be present. The verb form of the word is vibe code. https://www.merriam-webster.com/slang/vibe-coding
Edwards, Benj (2025-03-05). "Will the future of software development run on vibes?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-03. The technique, enabled by large language models (LLMs) from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, has attracted attention for potentially lowering the barrier to entry for software creation. But questions remain about whether the approach can reliably produce code suitable for real-world applications, even as tools like Cursor Composer, GitHub Copilot, and Replit Agent make the process increasingly accessible to non-programmers. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/
"What is 'vibe code'? Former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy defines a new era in AI-driven development". The Times of India. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-06-03. Karpathy's "vibe coding" is a recognition of how sophisticated AI systems have evolved. In describing on X (formerly Twitter), he added that LLMs, like the Cursor Composer with Sonnet, are advancing to a degree that nearly eliminates the use of traditional coding mechanisms. Describing his own experience, Karpathy explained how he converses with AI tools almost in a passive manner—merely talking to them and having the AI handle the rest. This method eliminates manually typing code as well as keeping track of all the minute information in the program. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-vibe-coding-former-tesla-ai-director-andrej-karpathy-defines-a-new-era-in-ai-driven-development/articleshow/118659724.cms
Chowdhury, Hasan; Mann, Jyoti (2025-02-13). "Silicon Valley's next act: bringing 'vibe coding' to the world". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2025-02-26. Retrieved 2025-03-03. https://www.businessinsider.com/vibe-coding-ai-silicon-valley-andrej-karpathy-2025-2
Chowdhury, Hasan; Mann, Jyoti (2025-02-13). "Silicon Valley's next act: bringing 'vibe coding' to the world". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2025-02-26. Retrieved 2025-03-03. https://www.businessinsider.com/vibe-coding-ai-silicon-valley-andrej-karpathy-2025-2
"What is 'vibe code'? Former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy defines a new era in AI-driven development". The Times of India. 2025-03-02. Retrieved 2025-06-03. Karpathy's "vibe coding" is a recognition of how sophisticated AI systems have evolved. In describing on X (formerly Twitter), he added that LLMs, like the Cursor Composer with Sonnet, are advancing to a degree that nearly eliminates the use of traditional coding mechanisms. Describing his own experience, Karpathy explained how he converses with AI tools almost in a passive manner—merely talking to them and having the AI handle the rest. This method eliminates manually typing code as well as keeping track of all the minute information in the program. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-vibe-coding-former-tesla-ai-director-andrej-karpathy-defines-a-new-era-in-ai-driven-development/articleshow/118659724.cms
Naughton, John (2025-03-16). "Now you don't even need code to be a programmer. But you do still need expertise". The Observer. Retrieved 2025-03-16. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/16/ai-software-coding-programmer-expertise-jobs-threat
Edwards, Benj (2025-03-05). "Will the future of software development run on vibes?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-03. The technique, enabled by large language models (LLMs) from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, has attracted attention for potentially lowering the barrier to entry for software creation. But questions remain about whether the approach can reliably produce code suitable for real-world applications, even as tools like Cursor Composer, GitHub Copilot, and Replit Agent make the process increasingly accessible to non-programmers. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/
Edwards, Benj (2025-03-05). "Will the future of software development run on vibes?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-06-03. The technique, enabled by large language models (LLMs) from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, has attracted attention for potentially lowering the barrier to entry for software creation. But questions remain about whether the approach can reliably produce code suitable for real-world applications, even as tools like Cursor Composer, GitHub Copilot, and Replit Agent make the process increasingly accessible to non-programmers. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/03/is-vibe-coding-with-ai-gnarly-or-reckless-maybe-some-of-both/
Roose, Kevin (February 27, 2025), "Not a Coder? With A.I., Just Having an Idea Can Be Enough.", The New York Times, ISSN 0362-4331, retrieved June 3, 2025, Vibecoding, a term that was popularized by the A.I. researcher Andrej Karpathy, is useful shorthand for the way that today's A.I. tools allow even nontechnical hobbyists to build fully functioning apps and websites, just by typing prompts into a text box. You don't have to know how to code to vibecode — just having an idea, and a little patience, is usually enough. "It's not really coding," Mr. Karpathy wrote this month. "I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/technology/personaltech/vibecoding-ai-software-programming.html
Naughton, John (2025-03-16). "Now you don't even need code to be a programmer. But you do still need expertise". The Observer. Retrieved 2025-03-16. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/16/ai-software-coding-programmer-expertise-jobs-threat
Naughton, John (2025-03-16). "Now you don't even need code to be a programmer. But you do still need expertise". The Observer. Retrieved 2025-03-16. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/16/ai-software-coding-programmer-expertise-jobs-threat
Roose, Kevin (February 27, 2025), "Not a Coder? With A.I., Just Having an Idea Can Be Enough.", The New York Times, ISSN 0362-4331, retrieved June 3, 2025, Vibecoding, a term that was popularized by the A.I. researcher Andrej Karpathy, is useful shorthand for the way that today's A.I. tools allow even nontechnical hobbyists to build fully functioning apps and websites, just by typing prompts into a text box. You don't have to know how to code to vibecode — just having an idea, and a little patience, is usually enough. "It's not really coding," Mr. Karpathy wrote this month. "I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/technology/personaltech/vibecoding-ai-software-programming.html
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