Vibe Coding with Claude Code: Build Software by Describing What You Want

Vibe coding is the practice of building software by describing what you want in natural language and letting an AI handle the implementation. Instead of writing every line yourself, you set the direction and the AI writes the code. The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy in early 2025 and has since exploded into a movement that's changing how developers work.

Claude Code is one of the most powerful tools for vibe coding. It runs in your terminal, has full access to your project files, can execute commands, run tests, and iterate on code autonomously. This guide covers how to vibe code effectively with Claude Code -- from getting started to advanced patterns that let you build entire applications through conversation.

What Is Vibe Coding?

At its core, vibe coding means you focus on what the software should do, not how to implement it. You describe features, fix bugs by explaining symptoms, and guide architecture through natural conversation. The AI generates the code, runs it, debugs errors, and iterates until it works.

This isn't about replacing programming knowledge -- it's about operating at a higher level of abstraction. Experienced developers use vibe coding to move 10x faster on boilerplate, prototyping, and repetitive tasks. Non-developers use it to bring ideas to life that would otherwise require hiring a team.

Getting Started with Vibe Coding

If you haven't installed Claude Code yet, see our installation guide. Once installed, start a session in your project directory:

cd my-project
claude

That's it. You're now in a conversational coding environment. Start describing what you want.

Your first vibe

Let's say you want to build a personal finance tracker. Instead of setting up a project manually, just describe it:

> Build me a personal finance tracker web app. Use Next.js with TypeScript,
  Tailwind CSS, and a SQLite database. I want to track income and expenses
  by category, see monthly summaries, and have a simple dashboard with charts.

Claude Code will scaffold the project, install dependencies, create the database schema, build the UI components, and wire everything together. You'll be able to run npm run dev and see a working app within minutes.

Iterate, don't over-specify

The vibe coding approach is iterative. Start with a broad description and refine:

1. Start broad: "Build a finance tracker with income/expense tracking"
2. See what Claude builds: Review the output, run the app
3. Refine: "Add a pie chart for expense categories" or "Make the date picker use a calendar popup"
4. Polish: "The colors feel too corporate -- make it more playful with rounded corners and softer shadows"

This is faster and produces better results than trying to specify everything upfront in one giant prompt.

Vibe Coding Patterns That Work

The "build it then fix it" loop

Start with a working prototype, then iterate. Don't try to get it perfect in one shot:

> Build a REST API for a todo app with CRUD endpoints

[Claude builds the API]

> Add input validation and proper error responses

[Claude adds validation]

> Now add JWT authentication

[Claude adds auth]

> Write tests for all endpoints

[Claude writes tests and fixes any failures]

Screenshot-driven development

If you have a design reference or see a UI you like, you can paste screenshots directly into Claude Code. Drop an image and say:

> Build a component that looks exactly like this screenshot. Use Tailwind.

Claude Code can interpret visual designs and translate them into working code -- a powerful vibe coding technique for frontend work.

Error-driven iteration

Don't worry about errors. When something breaks, just paste the error or describe what went wrong:

> I'm getting a "Cannot read property 'map' of undefined" when I load the dashboard.
  The data is supposed to come from the /api/transactions endpoint.

Claude Code will read the relevant files, trace the data flow, find the bug, and fix it. This is vibe coding at its best -- you describe the problem, not the solution.

Refactor by describing the smell

Instead of manually restructuring code, describe what bothers you:

> The auth logic is scattered across too many files. Consolidate it into
  a clean auth module with a single middleware function.

Advanced Vibe Coding Techniques

Use CLAUDE.md as your project bible

Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root that captures your preferences, conventions, and context. Claude reads this automatically on every session. This is how you make the vibe consistent:

# CLAUDE.md

## Stack
- Next.js 15 with App Router
- TypeScript strict mode
- Tailwind CSS v4
- Drizzle ORM with PostgreSQL

## Conventions
- Use server components by default
- Keep components under 100 lines
- Use Zod for all validation
- Write tests for API routes

## Style
- Minimal, clean UI -- no unnecessary decoration
- Use shadcn/ui components
- Mobile-first responsive design

Now every time you start Claude Code in this project, it already knows your preferences. See the memory guide and system prompt guide for more on this.

Headless mode for automation

Claude Code can run without interaction using the -p flag, which is perfect for automated vibe coding workflows:

# Generate a component from a description
claude -p "Create a reusable DataTable component with sorting, filtering, and pagination"

# Fix all TypeScript errors
claude -p "Fix all TypeScript errors in the project. Run tsc --noEmit to verify."

# Add tests for uncovered code
claude -p "Run the test suite, check coverage, and add tests for any uncovered files."

Multi-agent vibe coding

Use Claude Code's agent system to run multiple coding tasks in parallel. Claude can spawn sub-agents that work on different parts of your codebase simultaneously:

> Refactor the entire API layer. Use sub-agents to handle each resource
  (users, products, orders) in parallel. Each should have proper validation,
  error handling, and tests.

Claude will break the work into parallel tasks, each working in its own worktree, and merge the results. This is like having a team of developers working from your descriptions.

Plan mode for architecture decisions

When you're making big architectural decisions, use /plan to have Claude think through the approach before writing code:

> /plan I want to add real-time collaboration to this app.
  Multiple users should be able to edit the same document simultaneously.
  What's the best approach?

Claude will outline options (WebSockets, CRDTs, operational transforms), trade-offs, and a recommended implementation path. Review the plan, adjust it, then tell Claude to execute.

Common Vibe Coding Mistakes

Being too vague

Bad: "Make it better"

Good: "The page load is slow -- profile the dashboard query and optimize it. The transactions table has 100k rows."

Trying to specify everything upfront

Don't write a 500-word prompt. Start small, iterate fast. Each interaction should be focused on one thing.

Not reviewing the output

Vibe coding doesn't mean blindly accepting everything. Review what Claude generates, especially for:

• Security implications (auth, input validation, SQL injection)
• Performance (N+1 queries, missing indexes)
• Architecture decisions that might lock you in

Not providing context

Claude Code reads your files, but it helps to provide context about what you're trying to achieve at a higher level. "Add a payment system" is much better if you also say "We're using Stripe, targeting small businesses, and need to support subscriptions and one-time payments."

Vibe Coding with Claude Code vs Other Tools

Claude Code is particularly well-suited for vibe coding because it operates directly in your terminal and can:

• Execute code: Run your app, tests, and build commands -- then iterate based on results
• Access your full project: Read and write any file, understand your project structure
• Run autonomously: Chain multiple steps together without stopping to ask permission for every file edit
• Use sub-agents: Parallelize large refactors across multiple files
• Remember context: CLAUDE.md and memory files persist your preferences across sessions

IDE-based tools like Cursor are great for inline completions and file-level edits, but Claude Code excels at project-wide operations where the AI needs to coordinate changes across many files and verify results by running commands.

Real-World Vibe Coding Examples

Build a SaaS landing page

> Create a modern SaaS landing page for a project management tool called "FlowBoard".
  Hero section with a demo animation, feature grid, pricing table with 3 tiers,
  testimonials carousel, and a CTA. Dark mode, clean, minimal. Use only HTML/CSS/JS.

Convert a design system

> We're migrating from Material UI to shadcn/ui. Convert all components in
  src/components/ to use shadcn equivalents. Keep the same props interface
  where possible. Run the tests after each component to make sure nothing breaks.

Add features to an existing app

> Add a notification system to this app. Users should get in-app notifications
  for new comments, task assignments, and due date reminders. Store notifications
  in the database, show an unread count in the header, and add a dropdown panel
  to view and dismiss them.

Debug a production issue

> Users are reporting that the checkout flow hangs after clicking "Pay".
  The Stripe webhook endpoint returns 200 but the order status never updates.
  Investigate the webhook handler, check the database update logic, and fix it.

Tips for Better Vibe Coding Sessions

• Start each session with context: "I'm working on the user settings page. The goal today is to add email notification preferences."
• Use concrete examples: "When a user clicks 'Export', generate a CSV with columns: date, amount, category, description"
• Set guardrails in CLAUDE.md: Document your conventions so Claude follows them without being told each time
• Run tests frequently: Ask Claude to write and run tests as it goes -- this catches issues early
• Use /compact for long sessions: This compresses context so Claude doesn't lose track of earlier work
• Commit often: Ask Claude to commit after each milestone so you can roll back if needed

The Future of Vibe Coding

Vibe coding is still early, but the trajectory is clear: the gap between having an idea and having working software is shrinking rapidly. Claude Code's combination of file access, command execution, sub-agents, and memory makes it one of the most capable vibe coding tools available today.

The developers who will thrive aren't those who resist AI-assisted coding, but those who learn to direct it effectively. Vibe coding isn't about writing less code -- it's about building more software.