Try this instead of vibe coding!

Summary

In this video, the speaker introduces a structured approach to using AI for software development, moving beyond 'vibe coding.' The process involves brainstorming a product idea, conducting deep research with AI tools, breaking the project into manageable tasks, and implementing them step by step. The speaker emphasizes creativity in the initial planning phase and leverages AI for research, refining technical details, and generating code iteratively. This method ensures higher quality results, preventing the pitfalls of relying solely on AI. The approach encourages a more controlled, thoughtful, and collaborative development process.

Takeaways

• 😀 Vibe coding is a creative but unstructured approach where you rely on AI to do most of the work, but it can lead to unreliable results and quality issues.
• 😀 The six-step process offers a more structured and effective approach to using AI for product development, focusing on creativity and research.
• 😀 Step 1: ‘Vibe Architecting’ is all about brainstorming and capturing your creative ideas manually before involving AI tools.
• 😀 AI tools can’t fully replace human creativity, but they can enhance and refine your ideas once they’re clearly expressed.
• 😀 Step 2: Use AI-powered research tools like OpenAI’s Deep Research and Gemini to gather valuable insights from across the internet for your project.
• 😀 Step 3: Use thinking models from AI platforms like OpenAI or Gemini to break your product plan into smaller, actionable tasks (tickets).
• 😀 Step 4: Refine each task by providing AI with relevant documents (design docs, research) to enhance its understanding and provide more technical insights.
• 😀 Step 5: Start ‘vibe coding’ by implementing each ticket in manageable pieces, always testing and committing to GitHub as you go.
• 😀 Don’t try to implement the entire project at once—working iteratively will prevent mistakes and avoid erasing code.
• 😀 Step 6: Iterate and repeat the process for each new ticket, refining and improving the product until it’s fully functional and high quality.
• 😀 The process takes longer than vibe coding but results in higher-quality software that stays true to your original creative vision.

Q & A

What is 'vibe coding' and why is it not always effective?

'Vibe coding' is a term where developers let AI handle the coding process without much structure, hoping for the best. While this approach can sometimes lead to good results, it often causes issues like losing code or hitting a wall when quality starts to decline. It lacks the organization and detail required for sustainable results.

What is the first step in the six-step process for building better software?

The first step is 'vibe architecting,' where you manually brainstorm and document your product idea. This creative phase involves writing down everything about the product—whether it's an app, game, or website—and focusing on expressing your vision clearly. This step unlocks creativity that AI alone cannot provide.

Why is creativity important in the initial planning phase of product development?

Creativity is crucial because AI tools like language models can help refine and organize ideas, but they cannot generate original, creative concepts. By expressing your creative vision in detail, you guide AI to produce results that closely align with your goals and lead to higher-quality outputs.

What is the role of Deep Research in the process?

Deep Research is used to gather detailed information from the internet, filling in the gaps in your original creative plan. It helps by researching similar products, gathering data, and presenting a structured plan based on real-world examples, which enhances the development process.

How does the use of thinking models help in structuring a project?

Thinking models, such as those in OpenAI or Gemini, help break down the product plan into actionable tasks, known as tickets. This process organizes the project into manageable steps, ensuring that the work is structured and that the overall flow of the project is clear and organized.

What is the importance of breaking the project into 'tickets'?

Breaking the project into 'tickets' ensures that each task is well-defined and manageable. It allows developers to focus on specific parts of the project at a time, creating a clear roadmap for execution and avoiding overwhelming the team or system with too much at once.

Why should each individual ticket undergo further deep research?

Each ticket should undergo further deep research to refine the technical details. By investigating each specific task in greater depth, you can ensure that all aspects are thoroughly understood and that the project remains on track with high-quality technical solutions.

How does 'vibe coding' fit into the six-step process?

Vibe coding is introduced after gathering all the necessary information and structuring the project. At this point, developers start implementing the code, but they do so iteratively, tackling small tasks one by one rather than trying to complete the entire project at once. This helps mitigate risks like losing code or hitting errors.

What are the best practices to follow after coding each ticket?

After coding each ticket, it's important to write tests, review the code, and commit it to a version control system like GitHub. This ensures that the code is properly saved, and it allows for easier iteration on future tasks. Committing regularly prevents losing progress and ensures quality control.

What is the ultimate benefit of the six-step process over traditional vibe coding?

The six-step process results in higher-quality software because it combines creativity with structured, iterative AI assistance. By breaking down the project into smaller, manageable tasks and conducting deep research at each stage, the process ensures better planning, execution, and quality than traditional vibe coding, which can lead to unpredictable outcomes.