What is Vibe Coding?

You’ve heard about vibe coding in a newsletter, a podcast or on LinkedIn — often alongside names like Cursor, Lovable or Claude Code. But in practical terms: what are we talking about? Is it "real" development? A passing trend? And is it relevant for a non-profit or an impact-driven organisation?

Here’s a clear definition, examples and benchmarks to help you navigate this in 2026.

Simple Definition

Vibe coding (literally "coding by vibe" or "coding by intuition") refers to a way of creating software where you describe what you want to achieve — in natural language, through iterations — and an artificial intelligence generates or modifies the code for you.

You don’t disappear from the process: you guide, correct, test and validate. But the barrier "I need to know JavaScript or Python syntax" is significantly lowered.

The term was popularised by Andrej Karpathy (AI researcher, former Tesla/OpenAI) in early 2025, as a contrast to line-by-line writing. The core idea: you drive the outcome and the user experience; the AI handles a large part of the implementation.

Vibe Coding, No-Code, Low-Code: The Differences

Approach	What do you do?	Code produced?	Examples
No-code	Assemble visual blocks	Hidden / generated by the platform	Webflow, Bubble, Notion
Low-code	Configure + a few scripts	Partial, often visible	Make, Airtable scripts
Vibe coding	Dialogue with AI about intent	Yes, often exportable (Git)	Cursor, Lovable, Claude Code
Classic dev	Write the code yourself	Yes, 100% manual	VS Code, terminal

Vibe coding sits between no-code and traditional development: more flexible than a closed drag-and-drop editor, but more accessible than a bare IDE without AI assistance.

How Does It Work Day-to-Day?

A typical cycle looks like this:

Intent — "I want a page that lists impact missions with filters for skills and remote work."
Generation — the AI proposes components, APIs, styles.
Iteration — "Make the cards more accessible", "Add a dark mode", "Fix the mobile error".
Verification — you test in the browser; you request targeted corrections.
Publication — deployment via the platform (Lovable, Vercel…) or export to your Git repository.

The "vibe" comes from this ongoing conversation: you adjust the tone, behaviour and output without rewriting the entire file manually.

Most Used Tools in 2026

Cursor

A code editor based on VS Code, with AI integrated across the entire project. Ideal if you already have a Next.js, React or Python repository and want to speed up refactoring, tests and features.

Lovable (and equivalent "app builders")

You describe an application; the tool generates front-end, back-end and sometimes a database (often Supabase). Highly suited to rapid prototypes and motivated non-developers.

Claude Code / assistants in the terminal

For targeted tasks: scripts, SQL migrations, bug fixes, documentation. The AI acts on your file tree with your approval.

Google AI Studio, GitHub Copilot, etc.

Same logic: completion, function generation, explanation of existing code.

On Inpactum, the Vibe coding category groups these approaches — complementary to no-code (Webflow, Bubble) and automation (Make, n8n).

Why It’s a Game-Changer for Tech for Good

For a non-profit or a social and solidarity economy (ESS) organisation, the benefits are tangible:

Prototype an idea without an initial dev budget (form, dashboard, mini-app)
Maintain an internal tool when the original provider is no longer available
Reduce the learning curve for marketing, ops or fundraising profiles curious about digital

Realistic examples:

A volunteer tracking dashboard connected to Airtable
A campaign landing page with custom components
A script that cleans and anonymises CSV exports before analysis

Limits and Risks Not to Overlook

Vibe coding isn’t magic. Keep in mind:

Quality and Technical Debt

AI can produce code that "works" but is hard to maintain. Without review, you accumulate invisible debt.

Security and Personal Data

Never paste sensitive data (beneficiaries, donors) into a prompt without a clear framework. Check hosting, access and General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD) compliance.

Hallucinations

AI can invent libraries or APIs that don’t exist. Always test and keep a human responsible for production deployments.

Vendor Lock-In

If everything lives in a closed platform, plan for export (code, data) to avoid being trapped.

Golden rule: vibe coding speeds up execution; it does not replace editorial, legal and ethical responsibility.

Best Practices to Get Started

Start small — a page, a component, a script, not the entire platform at once.
Be precise in your prompts — target audience, constraints, examples of desired output.
Version with Git — even minimally: history and ability to roll back.
Ask for explanations — "Explain this file before modifying it" limits surprises.
Combine no-code and vibe coding — Notion for processes, Airtable for data, Cursor for customisation.

Vibe Coding vs "Hiring a Dev"?

It’s not one or the other:

Vibe coding: exploration, MVP, internal tools, quick fixes.
Developer: sustainable architecture, advanced security, large-scale performance, standardised accessibility.

For an impact-driven organisation, the winning combo in 2026 is often: no-code for 80% of needs + vibe coding for customisation + occasional human expertise to validate anything involving data and vulnerable people.

In Summary

Vibe coding is developing by driving the intent and feel of the product, relying on AI for implementation. It’s neither pure no-code nor "old-school" dev: it’s a new layer of accessibility between the two.

If you work in Tech for Good, it’s not a requirement — it’s a new tool in the toolbox, alongside Make or Airtable. Used methodically, it can free up time for what really matters: your mission, not the syntax.

To go further: explore Vibe coding and Prompt engineering resources on Inpactum, and test a first feature in an afternoon — you’ll quickly see if this approach fits your team.