I’ve been experimenting with AI-first coding over the last months. Instead of the usual loop of:

• Understand the problem
• Make a change
• Test it
• Repeat until ready
• Create a PR

The workflow becomes something more like:

• Explain part of the change to the AI
• Test if it works
• Review the result
• Feed back corrections
• Repeat until ready
• Create a PR

So far, I’ve found it great for making quick changes quickly. But when it comes to harder tasks, it gets difficult. Progress tends to come either by giving the AI very specific instructions, one tiny step at a time—or by iterating endlessly, like a sculptor chipping away at a boulder and ending up with a smaller boulder.

Still, it feels more productive than traditional coding in many cases, and it feels like the future. But there are real trade-offs, especially when the code is complex or the required change is significant.

I don’t have answers yet. For now, here’s a photo of a waterfall.

EDIT:

My colleague Nico also wrote an article about Vibe Coding, check his blog out!