Vibe coding in Visual Studio Code

“Vibe coding” means building software primarily by describing what you want to an AI assistant in plain language, then iterating on the generated code. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a common place to do it because its extensions and integrated AI chat tools can generate, edit, run, and debug code directly in the editor.[github][github]

How it works in VS Code

A typical loop is:

  1. Describe a feature or bug in natural language, e.g. “Create a responsive React form with validation.”
  2. Let an AI assistant propose or apply code changes.
  3. Run the project, inspect the result, and give follow-up instructions.
  4. Review diffs, test behavior, and fix issues before committing.

VS Code supports this through AI assistants such as GitHub Copilot, including Copilot Chat, which can work with the editor and repository context. Open-source agent extensions such as Cline and Roo Code also provide more autonomous, multi-step coding workflows inside VS Code.[github][github][che.eclipseprojects]

Good VS Code setup

  • Install VS Code and a language/runtime for your project, such as Node.js, Python, or .NET.
  • Add an AI assistant: GitHub Copilot, Cline, Roo Code, or another coding-agent extension.
  • Use Git from the start, so every AI-generated change can be inspected and reverted.
  • Keep tests, linting, and a clear project structure; these make AI changes much safer to evaluate.
  • Ask for small, verifiable increments rather than “build the whole app” in one prompt.

Useful prompt style

Instead of:Make me a website.Try:Create a minimal Next.js page at /pricing with three plan cards, TypeScript types, responsive Tailwind styling, and a failing test first. Explain the files you change.This keeps the AI focused, makes its changes reviewable, and turns “vibes” into a controlled development workflow.
Important caveat
Vibe coding is fastest for prototypes, experiments, and well-scoped features, but blindly accepting generated code can create security, correctness, and maintainability problems. The practical version is AI-assisted coding: let the model draft and iterate, while you review the diff, run tests, and understand the critical parts.[github][thebimsider]The term was popularized by Andrej Karpathy in early 2025, and VS Code is frequently recommended as a practical environment for this workflow.[github][github]<Perplexity>