Feb 27, 2024

Getting Started with Vibe Coding: A Beginner's Guide to Full-Stack App Builders

Introduction

The software development landscape is undergoing a revolutionary transformation. For decades, building applications required extensive programming knowledge, years of practice, and mastery of complex languages and frameworks. Today, a new paradigm called “vibe coding” is democratizing software development, making it accessible to virtually anyone with an idea—regardless of their technical background.

Vibe coding represents a fundamental shift in how we approach building software. Instead of writing code line by line, you describe what you want in plain English, and AI tools generate the code for you. This approach is particularly powerful when combined with full-stack app builders that handle everything from user interfaces to databases and deployment.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the world of vibe coding through the lens of five leading full-stack app builders: Lovable.dev, Bolt.new/Bolt.diy, Tempo Labs, Base44, and Replit. Whether you’re a non-technical founder looking to build your first MVP, a product manager wanting to prototype ideas without engineering resources, or a curious developer exploring new ways to accelerate your workflow, this guide will help you understand and leverage these powerful tools.

We’ll walk through the fundamentals of vibe coding, compare the strengths and weaknesses of each platform, and provide practical examples to help you get started. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to transform your ideas into functional applications using natural language prompts and AI-powered tools.

What is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding, a term coined by Andrej Karpathy (former Director of AI at Tesla and a prominent AI researcher), refers to a development approach where users describe what they want in natural language and AI generates the code. In a viral tweet, Karpathy described it as coding where you “fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.”

This approach has gained significant popularity with the advancement of large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4, Claude, and others that power today’s AI coding assistants. Unlike traditional coding, where developers must understand programming languages, data structures, algorithms, and frameworks, vibe coding allows you to focus on what you want to build rather than how to build it.

The key characteristics of vibe coding include:

Natural language prompts: You describe features and functionality in plain English rather than programming languages.
AI code generation: The AI interprets your prompts and generates the necessary code.
Iterative refinement: You provide feedback and additional prompts to refine the generated code.
Minimal technical knowledge required: While some understanding of software concepts helps, you don’t need to know how to code.
Focus on outcomes: The emphasis is on what you want to achieve rather than implementation details.

Vibe coding is particularly powerful when combined with full-stack app builders that provide integrated environments for developing, testing, and deploying applications. These platforms handle the complexities of frontend interfaces, backend logic, database management, authentication, and deployment—allowing you to focus on your application’s unique features and value proposition.

Overview of Full-Stack App Builders

Let’s explore the five leading full-stack app builders that excel at vibe coding:

Lovable.dev

Lovable.dev is a user-friendly AI-powered full-stack app builder designed to make web application development accessible to everyone. It provides a visual interface where you can select parts of your application and request specific changes using natural language.

Key features:

Visual editing interface with AI-powered code generation
Integrated with Supabase for authentication and database operations
GitHub repository integration for code management
Real-time collaboration capabilities
Deployment to production with a single click

Best for: Non-technical founders, product managers, and developers looking for rapid prototyping and development.

Bolt.new / Bolt.diy

Created by Stackblitz, Bolt.new enables building full-stack applications using AI visually. It stands out with its ability to import designs directly from Figma and convert them into functional code.

Key features:

Figma design import and conversion to code
Web containers that run Node.js in the browser
Supabase integration for authentication and database functionality
Visual editing with AI assistance
One-click deployment

Best for: Designers and product teams who want to turn designs into functional applications quickly.

Tempo Labs

Tempo Labs provides controls for both low-code and intermediate programmers, with a focus on comprehensive application development.

Key features:

Generates Product Requirements Documents (PRD) and user flow diagrams
Supports payment integration with Stripe and Polar
Enables authentication and database with Supabase or Convex
AI-assisted development with natural language prompts
Comprehensive documentation generation

Best for: Product managers and technical founders who need detailed documentation alongside development.

Base44

Base44 offers a more bare-bones starter template geared towards advanced developers who want AI assistance while maintaining control over their codebase.

Key features:

Streamlined interface for rapid application development
More control over code structure and architecture
AI assistance for specific coding tasks
Integration with popular frameworks and libraries
Flexible deployment options

Best for: Developers who want AI assistance but prefer more control over their code.

Replit

Replit provides a complete development environment in the browser with AI assistance for building applications using natural language prompts.

Key features:

Complete IDE in the browser
AI agent that helps build apps using natural language
Direct deployment to production servers
Collaborative coding environment
Support for multiple programming languages and frameworks

Best for: Developers and teams who want a complete development environment with AI assistance.

Getting Started with Vibe Coding

Now that we understand what vibe coding is and the platforms available, let’s walk through the process of getting started with each platform.

Step 1: Define Your Project

Before diving into any platform, clearly define what you want to build. Consider:

Purpose: What problem does your application solve?
Core features: What are the essential functions your app needs?
User flow: How will users interact with your application?
Data requirements: What information will your app store and process?

Having a clear vision will make your prompts more effective and help the AI generate more relevant code.

Step 2: Choose the Right Platform

Based on your project requirements and personal preferences, select the platform that best suits your needs:

Lovable.dev if you want a visual interface with strong Supabase integration
Bolt.new if you’re starting with Figma designs
Tempo Labs if you need comprehensive documentation and product management features
Base44 if you want more control over your code
Replit if you prefer a complete development environment

Step 3: Set Up Your Environment

Let’s walk through the setup process for each platform:

Lovable.dev Setup

Visit Lovable.dev and sign up for an account
Create a new project by clicking “New Project”
Choose a template or start from scratch
Connect to Supabase for authentication and database (optional)
Start building with natural language prompts

// Example of a Lovable.dev prompt and generated code
// Prompt: "Create a user authentication system with email and password"

// Generated React component for sign-up form
import { useState } from 'react';
import { supabase } from '../lib/supabaseClient';

export default function SignUp() {
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
  const [password, setPassword] = useState('');
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
  const [error, setError] = useState(null);
  
  async function handleSignUp(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    setLoading(true);
    setError(null);
    
    try {
      const { error } = await supabase.auth.signUp({
        email,
        password,
      });
      
      if (error) throw error;
      alert('Check your email for the confirmation link!');
    } catch (error) {
      setError(error.message);
    } finally {
      setLoading(false);
    }
  }
  
  return (
    <div className="auth-container">
      <h2>Sign Up</h2>
      {error && <div className="error">{error}</div>}
      <form onSubmit={handleSignUp}>
        <div className="form-group">
          <label htmlFor="email">Email</label>
          <input
            id="email"
            type="email"
            value={email}
            onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
            required
          />
        </div>
        <div className="form-group">
          <label htmlFor="password">Password</label>
          <input
            id="password"
            type="password"
            value={password}
            onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
            required
          />
        </div>
        <button type="submit" disabled={loading}>
          {loading ? 'Loading...' : 'Sign Up'}
        </button>
      </form>
    </div>
  );
}

Bolt.new Setup

Visit Bolt.new and sign up for an account
Create a new project
Import a Figma design (optional) or start from scratch
Connect to Supabase for backend functionality
Start building with AI assistance

// Example of a Bolt.new prompt and generated code
// Prompt: "Create a product listing page with filtering options"

// Generated TypeScript code for product listing
import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { supabase } from '../lib/supabaseClient';

interface Product {
  id: number;
  name: string;
  price: number;
  category: string;
heroImage: "/images/blog/getting-started-with-vibe-coding-a-beginners-guide-to-full-stack-app-builders.jpg"
  description: string;
}

export default function ProductListing() {
  const [products, setProducts] = useState<Product[]>([]);
  const [filteredProducts, setFilteredProducts] = useState<Product[]>([]);
  const [categories, setCategories] = useState<string[]>([]);
  const [selectedCategory, setSelectedCategory] = useState<string>('all');
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState<boolean>(true);
  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    async function fetchProducts() {
      try {
        const { data, error } = await supabase
          .from('products')
          .select('*');
          
        if (error) throw error;
        
        setProducts(data || []);
        setFilteredProducts(data || []);
        
        // Extract unique categories
        const uniqueCategories = [...new Set(data?.map(p => p.category))];
        setCategories(uniqueCategories);
      } catch (error) {
        setError('Error fetching products');
        console.error(error);
      } finally {
        setLoading(false);
      }
    }
    
    fetchProducts();
  }, []);
  
  useEffect(() => {
    if (selectedCategory === 'all') {
      setFilteredProducts(products);
    } else {
      setFilteredProducts(
        products.filter(p => p.category === selectedCategory)
      );
    }
  }, [selectedCategory, products]);
  
  return (
    <div className="products-container">
      <h1>Our Products</h1>
      
      <div className="filter-container">
        <label htmlFor="category-filter">Filter by category:</label>
        <select 
          id="category-filter"
          value={selectedCategory}
          onChange={(e) => setSelectedCategory(e.target.value)}
        >
          <option value="all">All Categories</option>
          {categories.map(category => (
            <option key={category} value={category}>
              {category}
            </option>
          ))}
        </select>
      </div>
      
      {loading ? (
        <p>Loading products...</p>
      ) : error ? (
        <p className="error">{error}</p>
      ) : (
        <div className="product-grid">
          {filteredProducts.map(product => (
            <div key={product.id} className="product-card">
              <img src={product.image_url} alt={product.name} />
              <h3>{product.name}</h3>
              <p className="price">${product.price.toFixed(2)}</p>
              <p className="category">{product.category}</p>
              <p className="description">{product.description}</p>
              <button>Add to Cart</button>
            </div>
          ))}
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Tempo Labs Setup

Visit Tempo Labs and create an account
Start a new project
Define your project requirements using natural language
Generate a PRD and user flow diagrams
Begin building with AI assistance

// Example of a Tempo Labs prompt and generated code
// Prompt: "Create a payment processing system with Stripe"

// Generated JavaScript code for Stripe integration
import { useState } from 'react';
import { loadStripe } from '@stripe/stripe-js';
import {
  CardElement,
  Elements,
  useStripe,
  useElements,
} from '@stripe/react-stripe-js';

// Load Stripe
const stripePromise = loadStripe(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY);

function CheckoutForm({ amount, onSuccess }) {
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
  const [error, setError] = useState(null);
  const stripe = useStripe();
  const elements = useElements();

  const handleSubmit = async (event) => {
    event.preventDefault();
    
    if (!stripe || !elements) {
      // Stripe.js has not loaded yet
      return;
    }
    
    setLoading(true);
    setError(null);
    
    try {
      // Create payment intent on the server
      const response = await fetch('/api/create-payment-intent', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        },
        body: JSON.stringify({ amount }),
      });
      
      if (!response.ok) {
        throw new Error('Network response was not ok');
      }
      
      const data = await response.json();
      
      // Confirm the payment
      const result = await stripe.confirmCardPayment(data.clientSecret, {
        payment_method: {
          card: elements.getElement(CardElement),
          billing_details: {
            name: 'Customer Name',
          },
        },
      });
      
      if (result.error) {
        throw result.error;
      }
      
      if (result.paymentIntent.status === 'succeeded') {
        onSuccess(result.paymentIntent);
      }
    } catch (error) {
      setError(error.message);
    } finally {
      setLoading(false);
    }
  };
  
  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="payment-form">
      <div className="form-row">
        <label htmlFor="card-element">Credit or debit card</label>
        <CardElement id="card-element" />
      </div>
      {error && <div className="error">{error}</div>}
      <button type="submit" disabled={!stripe || loading}>
        {loading ? 'Processing...' : `Pay $${(amount / 100).toFixed(2)}`}
      </button>
    </form>
  );
}

export default function PaymentPage() {
  const [paymentCompleted, setPaymentCompleted] = useState(false);
  const [paymentIntent, setPaymentIntent] = useState(null);
  
  const handlePaymentSuccess = (intent) => {
    setPaymentIntent(intent);
    setPaymentCompleted(true);
  };
  
  return (
    <div className="payment-container">
      <h1>Complete Your Purchase</h1>
      
      {paymentCompleted ? (
        <div className="success-message">
          <h2>Payment Successful!</h2>
          <p>Thank you for your purchase.</p>
          <p>Transaction ID: {paymentIntent.id}</p>
        </div>
      ) : (
        <Elements stripe={stripePromise}>
          <CheckoutForm 
            amount={2500} // $25.00
            onSuccess={handlePaymentSuccess}
          />
        </Elements>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Base44 Setup

Visit Base44 and sign up
Create a new project
Select your preferred tech stack
Start building with AI assistance

// Example of a Base44 prompt and generated code
// Prompt: "Create a real-time chat application"

// Generated JavaScript code for a real-time chat app
import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
import { supabase } from '../lib/supabaseClient';

export default function ChatRoom({ roomId, userId, username }) {
  const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
  const [newMessage, setNewMessage] = useState('');
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
  const [error, setError] = useState(null);
  const messagesEndRef = useRef(null);
  
  // Scroll to bottom of messages
  const scrollToBottom = () => {
    messagesEndRef.current?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth' });
  };
  
  // Fetch initial messages
  useEffect(() => {
    async function fetchMessages() {
      try {
        const { data, error } = await supabase
          .from('messages')
          .select('*')
          .eq('room_id', roomId)
          .order('created_at', { ascending: true });
          
        if (error) throw error;
        
        setMessages(data || []);
      } catch (error) {
        setError('Error fetching messages');
        console.error(error);
      } finally {
        setLoading(false);
      }
    }
    
    fetchMessages();
    
    // Subscribe to new messages
    const subscription = supabase
      .channel(`room:${roomId}`)
      .on('postgres_changes', { 
        event: 'INSERT', 
        schema: 'public', 
        table: 'messages',
        filter: `room_id=eq.${roomId}`
      }, (payload) => {
        setMessages(previous => [...previous, payload.new]);
      })
      .subscribe();
      
    return () => {
      supabase.removeChannel(subscription);
    };
  }, [roomId]);
  
  // Scroll to bottom when messages change
  useEffect(() => {
    scrollToBottom();
  }, [messages]);
  
  // Send a new message
  async function handleSendMessage(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    
    if (!newMessage.trim()) return;
    
    try {
      const { error } = await supabase
        .from('messages')
        .insert([
          {
            room_id: roomId,
            user_id: userId,
            username: username,
            content: newMessage,
          }
        ]);
        
      if (error) throw error;
      
      setNewMessage('');
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Error sending message:', error);
    }
  }
  
  return (
    <div className="chat-container">
      <div className="messages-container">
        {loading ? (
          <p>Loading messages...</p>
        ) : error ? (
          <p className="error">{error}</p>
        ) : messages.length === 0 ? (
          <p>No messages yet. Start the conversation!</p>
        ) : (
          messages.map(message => (
            <div 
              key={message.id} 
              className={`message ${message.user_id === userId ? 'own-message' : ''}`}
            >
              <div className="message-header">
                <span className="username">{message.username}</span>
                <span className="timestamp">
                  {new Date(message.created_at).toLocaleTimeString()}
                </span>
              </div>
              <div className="message-content">{message.content}</div>
            </div>
          ))
        )}
        <div ref={messagesEndRef} />
      </div>
      
      <form onSubmit={handleSendMessage} className="message-form">
        <input
          type="text"
          value={newMessage}
          onChange={(e) => setNewMessage(e.target.value)}
          placeholder="Type a message..."
          required
        />
        <button type="submit">Send</button>
      </form>
    </div>
  );
}

Replit Setup

Visit Replit and create an account
Create a new repl
Choose your preferred language or framework
Use the AI assistant to help build your application

# Example of a Replit prompt and generated code
# Prompt: "Create a Flask API for a todo list application"

# Generated Python code for a Flask API
from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
from flask_cors import CORS
import sqlite3
import uuid
from datetime import datetime

app = Flask(__name__)
CORS(app)  # Enable CORS for all routes

# Initialize database
def init_db():
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute('''
        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS todos (
            id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
            title TEXT NOT NULL,
            description TEXT,
            completed BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
            created_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL,
            updated_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL
        )
    ''')
    conn.commit()
    conn.close()

init_db()

# Helper function to convert row to dictionary
def row_to_dict(row):
    return {
        'id': row[0],
        'title': row[1],
        'description': row[2],
        'completed': bool(row[3]),
        'created_at': row[4],
        'updated_at': row[5]
    }

# Get all todos
@app.route('/api/todos', methods=['GET'])
def get_todos():
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute('SELECT * FROM todos ORDER BY created_at DESC')
    todos = [row_to_dict(row) for row in c.fetchall()]
    conn.close()
    return jsonify(todos)

# Get a specific todo
@app.route('/api/todos/<todo_id>', methods=['GET'])
def get_todo(todo_id):
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute('SELECT * FROM todos WHERE id = ?', (todo_id,))
    todo = c.fetchone()
    conn.close()
    
    if todo is None:
        return jsonify({'error': 'Todo not found'}), 404
        
    return jsonify(row_to_dict(todo))

# Create a new todo
@app.route('/api/todos', methods=['POST'])
def create_todo():
    data = request.get_json()
    
    if not data or 'title' not in data:
        return jsonify({'error': 'Title is required'}), 400
        
    todo_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
    now = datetime.utcnow().isoformat()
    
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute(
        'INSERT INTO todos (id, title, description, completed, created_at, updated_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)',
        (todo_id, data['title'], data.get('description', ''), data.get('completed', False), now, now)
    )
    conn.commit()
    conn.close()
    
    return jsonify({
        'id': todo_id,
        'title': data['title'],
        'description': data.get('description', ''),
        'completed': data.get('completed', False),
        'created_at': now,
        'updated_at': now
    }), 201

# Update a todo
@app.route('/api/todos/<todo_id>', methods=['PUT'])
def update_todo(todo_id):
    data = request.get_json()
    
    if not data:
        return jsonify({'error': 'No data provided'}), 400
        
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    
    # Check if todo exists
    c.execute('SELECT * FROM todos WHERE id = ?', (todo_id,))
    todo = c.fetchone()
    
    if todo is None:
        conn.close()
        return jsonify({'error': 'Todo not found'}), 404
    
    # Update fields
    updates = []
    values = []
    
    if 'title' in data:
        updates.append('title = ?')
        values.append(data['title'])
        
    if 'description' in data:
        updates.append('description = ?')
        values.append(data['description'])
        
    if 'completed' in data:
        updates.append('completed = ?')
        values.append(1 if data['completed'] else 0)
    
    updates.append('updated_at = ?')
    now = datetime.utcnow().isoformat()
    values.append(now)
    
    # Add todo_id to values
    values.append(todo_id)
    
    # Execute update
    c.execute(
        f'UPDATE todos SET {", ".join(updates)} WHERE id = ?',
        tuple(values)
    )
    conn.commit()
    
    # Get updated todo
    c.execute('SELECT * FROM todos WHERE id = ?', (todo_id,))
    updated_todo = c.fetchone()
    conn.close()
    
    return jsonify(row_to_dict(updated_todo))

# Delete a todo
@app.route('/api/todos/<todo_id>', methods=['DELETE'])
def delete_todo(todo_id):
    conn = sqlite3.connect('todos.db')
    c = conn.cursor()
    
    # Check if todo exists
    c.execute('SELECT * FROM todos WHERE id = ?', (todo_id,))
    todo = c.fetchone()
    
    if todo is None:
        conn.close()
        return jsonify({'error': 'Todo not found'}), 404
    
    # Delete todo
    c.execute('DELETE FROM todos WHERE id = ?', (todo_id,))
    conn.commit()
    conn.close()
    
    return jsonify({'message': 'Todo deleted successfully'})

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=8080, debug=True)

Step 4: Create Your First Application

Now that you’ve set up your environment, let’s create a simple application using vibe coding. We’ll build a basic task management application with each platform.

Effective Prompt Engineering

The key to successful vibe coding is effective prompt engineering. Here are some tips:

Be specific: Clearly describe what you want, including functionality, design, and behavior.
Provide context: Explain the purpose of the feature and how it fits into the larger application.
Use examples: Reference existing applications or features to clarify your requirements.
Iterate: Start with a basic prompt and refine it based on the generated code.
Break it down: For complex features, break them into smaller components and prompt for each separately.

Here’s an example of an effective prompt:

Create a task management application with the following features:
1. User authentication (sign up, login, logout)
2. Ability to create, edit, and delete tasks
3. Task categorization with labels
4. Due date assignment and reminder functionality
5. Task filtering and sorting options
6. Responsive design that works on mobile and desktop

The application should use a modern, clean design with a blue and white color scheme.

This prompt is specific, provides context, and breaks down the requirements into clear components.

Comparison of User Experiences

Each platform offers a unique user experience. Let’s compare them:

Platform	User Interface	Learning Curve	Customization	Deployment
Lovable.dev	Visual editor with AI chat	Low	Medium	One-click
Bolt.new	Visual editor with Figma import	Low-Medium	High	One-click
Tempo Labs	PRD-focused with AI assistance	Medium	Medium-High	Guided
Base44	Code-centric with AI assistance	Medium-High	Very High	Manual
Replit	Complete IDE with AI chat	Medium	Very High	One-click

Lovable.dev Experience

Lovable.dev offers a visual interface where you can see your application as you build it. The AI assistant is integrated directly into the editor, allowing you to select elements and request changes using natural language.