AI
What Is Vibe Coding? (And Why Most Founders Get It Wrong)
SmplCo
•
4 min read
Mar 2, 2026
What Is Vibe Coding?
There's a lot of noise right now about how AI is going to build your app for you. If you've spent any time on Twitter or LinkedIn lately, you've probably seen the term "vibe coding."
At SmplCo, we've built around 125 products over the last three years. We use these tools every day. But let's clear up the terminology first, because people keep mixing these up:
Vibe Coding: You describe what you want using everyday human language, and an AI writes the code while you watch.
Prototype: A clickable design (usually in a tool like Figma) used to test concepts. It looks real, but there's no actual code behind it.
POC (Proof of Concept): A version that has real code, lives on the internet, and proves the tech actually works.
MVP (Minimum Viable Product): The absolute smallest version of your product that someone will take out their credit card to pay for.
Vibe coding is an incredible way to get from an idea to a POC fast. But there is a massive trap most founders fall into.
The Problem With Fast Tech
The worst thing you can do is have a solution looking for a problem.
Because vibe coding tools like Lovable make it so easy to generate code, people are skipping the validation phase. They open the tool, start typing, and build a product nobody actually needs.
As we tell founders in our Zero to One program: If you automate a bad process, you just get a bad product faster.
Speed is only valuable when you're building the right thing. And the only way to know you're building the right thing is to validate first.
How to Vibe Code the Right Way
Before you even open an AI tool, you need to do the unglamorous work.
1. Map the User Journey
Grab a whiteboard. Write down the specific pain your user wakes up with. Outline the three simple steps they take in your app to fix it. Note the benefit they feel afterward.
If you can't fit the journey on one whiteboard, your product is too complicated.
2. Get Honest Feedback
Test your idea on real people. And if you're in the UK or Scandinavia, be careful — people are polite. If someone says your idea is "brave" or "very original," it means they don't get it.
Remove yourself from the room if you have to. Just get the unfiltered truth.
3. Prototype First
Test your flows with a simple, no-code prototype before you generate a single line of real code. A 5-day prototype sprint costs a fraction of building the wrong product.
AI Is a Tool, Not a Strategy
AI is powerful, but it's just a tool. Build the foundation first, validate the problem, and then let the AI write the code.
The founders who win aren't the ones who code the fastest. They're the ones who validated the fastest — and then used tools like vibe coding to build what they already knew people wanted.
If you're working on a new product idea and want help getting from zero to one, get in touch. We've done it 125 times and counting.
