Vibe Coding Mastery

# Vibe Coding Mastery

The complete system for building software with AI — from zero to production. Not tips. Not theory. A full operating methodology.

**What is vibe coding?** Programming where you describe what you want and let AI generate code. You evaluate by results, not by reading every line. Coined by Andrej Karpathy (Feb 2025).

**Key distinction (Simon Willison):** If you review, test, and explain the code — that's AI-assisted software development. Vibe coding means accepting AI output without fully understanding every function. This skill covers both modes and the spectrum between them.

---

## Phase 1: When to Vibe (Decision Matrix)

Before starting, classify your project:

| Factor | Vibe ✅ | Don't Vibe ❌ |
|--------|---------|---------------|
| **Stakes** | Low (prototype, internal, learning) | High (payments, auth, compliance) |
| **Timeline** | Hours to days | Months+ |
| **Team size** | Solo or pair | Large team with standards |
| **Domain knowledge** | You understand the domain | Unfamiliar territory |
| **Reversibility** | Easy to rewrite | Hard to change later |
| **Data sensitivity** | Public/test data | PII, financial, health |

**Scoring:** Count ✅ checks.
- 5-6: Full vibe mode. Ship fast.
- 3-4: Vibe with guardrails. Review critical paths.
- 1-2: AI-assisted development, not vibe coding. Review everything.
- 0: Write it yourself or hire someone who understands the domain.

### Vibe Coding Maturity Levels

| Level | Description | Who |
|-------|-------------|-----|
| **L1 — Passenger** | Copy-paste AI output, hope it works | Beginners |
| **L2 — Navigator** | Guide AI with context, catch obvious errors | Intermediate |
| **L3 — Pilot** | Architecture decisions, AI implements, you review | Experienced devs |
| **L4 — Conductor** | Orchestrate multiple AI sessions, parallel streams | Power users |

**Target: L3 minimum for anything going to production.**

---

## Phase 2: Tool Selection

### Primary Tools Matrix

| Tool | Best For | Context...

# 🎸 Vibe Coding Mastery

The complete operating system for building software with AI. Not tips — a full methodology.

## Install

```bash
clawhub install afrexai-vibe-coding
```

## What You Get

A 26KB comprehensive guide covering:

- **Decision Matrix** — When to vibe vs when to write code properly
- **Tool Selection** — Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, Aider compared with multi-tool strategies
- **Rules File Templates** — Universal template + Cursor .mdc conditional rules + quality checklist
- **5-Level Prompt Hierarchy** — From "build me an app" (bad) to production-grade YAML contracts (great)
- **12 Proven Prompt Patterns** — Scaffolding, incremental, test-first, debug, review, migrate, and more
- **RPIV Workflow** — Research → Plan → Implement → Validate with checkpoint system
- **Vibe-Friendly Architecture** — Project structures, schema-first design, co-located tests
- **Testing Pyramid** — Test-first vibe pattern, what to test, when AI tests are wrong
- **Debugging Playbooks** — 3-strike rule, 4 recovery playbooks (spaghetti, recurring bugs, dep hell, context exhaustion)
- **Production Graduation Checklist** — P0 security through P3 quality (30+ items)
- **Advanced Patterns** — Parallel sessions, pair programming modes, context management, git workflow
- **15 Common Mistakes** — With consequences and specific prevention strategies
- **Weekly Effectiveness Tracker** — Score yourself, improve over time

## Quick Start

1. Install the skill
2. Read the Decision Matrix (Phase 1) — classify your project
3. Create your rules file (Phase 3) — use the universal template
4. Follow RPIV (Phase 5) — Research → Plan → Implement → Validate
5. Track weekly (Phase 12) — measure and improve

## Who This Is For

- Developers using AI coding tools daily
- Founders building MVPs with AI
- Teams establishing AI coding standards
- Anyone who wants to ship faster without shipping bugs

## ⚡ Level Up

This free skill covers the methodology. For industry-specific AI agent...