“Vibe coding” divides developers: 10 points to consider before vibing out, pro and con

The rise of “vibe coding” represents a fundamental shift in software development where AI handles routine coding tasks, allowing developers to focus on higher-level creative work. This emerging trend has sparked intense debate among experienced developers about whether it represents the future of programming or introduces unacceptable security risks. Their perspectives reveal important nuances about how AI-assisted coding could transform the industry while highlighting potential pitfalls – and perks – that must be addressed.

1. Security vulnerabilities
Willem Delbare, Aikido CTO, identifies vibe coding as creating “a perfect storm of security risks,” noting how easily AI can generate vulnerable code without developers realizing it. This raises significant concerns about code quality and security posture for organizations adopting this approach.

2. Sacrificing fundamental understanding
John Campbell’s assessment highlights the trade-off inherent in this approach: while vibe coding accelerates development speed, it comes “at the cost of a near-total lack of system understanding.” This suggests developers using AI assistance may struggle to troubleshoot problems or understand the systems they’re building.

3. Rapid prototyping capabilities
For Zack Katz, vibe coding has revolutionized his development timeline, enabling him to generate working prototypes in a single day. This dramatic acceleration represents one of the most compelling advantages of AI-assisted coding for product teams.

4. Democratization of software creation
Bill Salak sees vibe coding transforming coding from a purely technical discipline into “a creative collaboration, where anyone with an idea can bring it to life.” This perspective highlights how AI could fundamentally reshape who can participate in software development.

5. Experience-dependent benefits
The consensus among professionals suggests vibe coding presents significantly different risk-reward profiles depending on developer experience level. Most caution against novice developers relying heavily on AI-generated code without supervision.

6. Professional oversight requirements
Developers consistently emphasize that human code review remains critical when using AI coding assistants. This suggests organizations adopting vibe coding should maintain robust review processes rather than eliminating them.

7. Knowledge prerequisites
The developer community stresses that AI cannot replace fundamental coding knowledge but instead can amplify the productivity of those who already possess solid technical foundations. This indicates vibe coding works best as an enhancement tool rather than a replacement for traditional learning.

8. Balancing creativity with caution
Professionals recognize the creative possibilities enabled by vibe coding while maintaining healthy skepticism about potential security implications, suggesting a balanced approach that harnesses benefits while mitigating risks.

9. Integration with existing workflows
Successful implementation appears to depend on thoughtfully integrating AI coding assistants into established development practices rather than abandoning proven methods entirely.

10. Evolving professional identity
As vibe coding gains traction, developers are navigating how their professional role might evolve from writing every line of code to becoming expert prompters, reviewers, and system architects who leverage AI as a powerful tool.