How Good at Coding do You Need to Be to Vibe Code?

When people hear about vibe coding, a common question that often comes up is “How good at coding do I need to be to do this?” Some people are skeptical of vibe coding, comparing AI code assistants to asking a junior developer to build something, only to spend more time reviewing their work than writing it themselves. It’s a fair concern.

But the real answer to how good you have to be really depends.

How much coding experience you need really comes down to what you’re building and why you’re building it.

Vibe coding isn’t one-size-fits-all. The context (no AI pun intended) matters.

Let’s break it down by project type, because each stage calls for a different level of skill and intention.

Personal Tools & Experiments

These are projects you create just for yourself such as automations, scripts, and small tools or utilities. There are no stakeholders, no pressure to scale or maintain. It’s all about experimenting, learning, and scratching your own itch. At this level, you don’t need much experience. In fact, vibe coding is perfect here because it lets you explore ideas quickly without worrying too much about structure or edge cases.

Internal or Lightweight Apps

Now you’re creating something others might use, like a tool for your team, a simple website for a local event, or a prototype to test a concept. This calls for a bit more discipline. You should understand basic coding concepts, testing, and version control. Here, it becomes important not just to build something functional, but to make sure it solves a real problem in a clear, usable way.

Enterprise-Grade Applications

This is where things get serious. If you’re building software that needs to scale, be secure, and remain maintainable over time, you need to operate like a professional. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be a professional developer, but you do need to approach things with a professional mindset. That includes understanding the software development lifecycle (SDLC), writing clean code, testing rigorously, documenting your work, and potentially including a human in the loop to review and validate what you’re building.

More Than Just Code: Solving the Right Problem

Coding skill is just one part of the equation. What really matters is knowing what you’re trying to solve and why. If you don’t have clarity on the business problem or the user need, no amount of clean code will make the solution useful. Vibe coding makes it easier to build quickly, but it doesn’t magically make the wrong solution right.

Professionalism ≠ Professional Developer

You don’t have to be a full-time software engineer to code responsibly. But when the project requires it, you need to step into a professional mindset. That means being thoughtful about how your app is built, tested, maintained, and handed off (if needed). You’re not just coding anymore, you’re building something people will depend on.

Where AI and Vibe Coding Fit In

AI is a powerful tool that can help you move fast and explore ideas. It lowers the barrier to entry, making it easier for more people to build software. But that doesn’t mean you can skip structure, planning, or understanding your tech stack. Vibe coding works best when it’s combined with clarity, intention, and some foundational skills.

Start Where You Are, Grow As You Build

The good news is you can start vibe coding with minimal experience. Just understand that as your projects grow in complexity and impact, your approach needs to evolve too. Learn what you need along the way, and be willing to raise the bar when the stakes are higher.

You don’t need to be a pro to get started. But you do need to be intentional if you want to build something that lasts.

Think Like an Architect

As your projects grow, it helps to step back and think like a systems architect. That means understanding how your components fit together, how data flows through your app, and how changes ripple across the system. You’re not just writing features, you’re designing an ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

Vibe coders who succeed at scale often take on a “director” mindset. They zoom out to see the big picture, anticipate future needs, and create structure around the creative flow. You don’t need to have all the answers, but having architectural awareness makes your projects more adaptable, more resilient, and more impactful.

Now go create!