Abdelrahman
I don’t consider myself a programmer. My knowledge of coding is limited—I can’t write a single line in Python, JavaScript, or C++. Aside from a short period during my teenage years when I experimented with building websites and creating Flash animations, I’ve never pursued a career in software engineering. Journalism has always been my passion, and I have no plans to switch to the tech industry.
However, over the past few months, I’ve found myself diving into the world of coding. I’ve developed various tools, including an application that transcribes and summarizes lengthy podcasts, a system for organizing my social media bookmarks into an easily searchable database, a website that helps determine if a piece of furniture fits in my car’s trunk, and an app called LunchBox Buddy that assesses my fridge inventory to assist in planning my son’s school lunches.
The secret behind these projects lies in the power of artificial intelligence and a rising trend called “vibecoding.” Coined by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy, vibecoding refers to the innovative way modern AI tools empower those without technical skills to create functional applications and websites simply by entering prompts into a text interface. You don’t need to be a coder to vibecode; often, having a clear idea and a bit of patience is all it takes.
“It’s not really coding,” Karpathy stated recently. “I just see things, communicate ideas, execute tasks, and copy-paste code, and it generally works.”
My vibecoding ventures have focused on what I term “software for one”—customized, small-scale applications designed to solve specific challenges I encounter in daily life. These tools aren’t typically developed by large tech companies; they lack a substantial market, have limited features, and some are still a work in progress.
