What is Vibe Coding?

What is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding is a programming approach where you describe what you want in natural language, and AI tools generate the implementation. Coined by Andrej Karpathy in early 2025, it flips the traditional coding model: instead of writing every line, you collaborate with AI — guiding it with prompts, reviewing output, and iterating on results.

The key insight is that natural language becomes the new programming language. You don’t need to know Python, JavaScript, or SQL syntax — you need to clearly describe what you want, and the AI handles the how.

How Does Vibe Coding Work?

The core workflow follows a simple loop:

1. Describe your goal — Tell the AI what you want in plain English. Be specific about the outcome, not the implementation.
2. AI generates code — The tool reads your project context, understands your codebase patterns, and produces working code.
3. Review and refine — Check the output, test it, and give feedback. The AI iterates based on your direction.
4. Accept or adjust — When the result matches your intent, move on. If not, describe what needs to change.

Tools like Claude Code take this further by reading your entire project context — your file structure, existing code patterns, and configuration files like CLAUDE.md — so generated code fits seamlessly into your existing project.

Vibe Coding Tools: Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor

Claude Code (Anthropic)

Claude Code is an agentic command-line tool that operates directly in your terminal. It can read and edit files, run commands, search your codebase, and manage git — all through natural language conversation. Key advantages:

• Full project awareness — Reads your entire codebase, not just the file you’re editing
• CLAUDE.md files — Project-level instruction files that persist context across sessions
• Skills system — Install domain-specific SKILL.md files that teach Claude specialized knowledge (marketing, SEO, copywriting, etc.)
• MCP servers — Connect to external tools like Google Ads, Search Console, Figma, and more
• Terminal-native — No IDE lock-in; works in any terminal on macOS, Linux, or WSL

Install Claude Code:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
cd your-project
claude

Official docs: docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code

OpenAI Codex CLI

OpenAI’s Codex CLI is an open-source terminal agent similar to Claude Code, powered by OpenAI models (GPT-4.1, o3, o4-mini). It runs in your terminal, can read/write files, and execute commands.

npm install -g @openai/codex
cd your-project
codex

Codex supports three approval modes: suggest (approve everything), auto-edit (auto-approve file edits, ask for commands), and full-auto (approve everything in a sandbox).

Cursor

Cursor is a VS Code fork with AI built into the editor. It offers inline completions, a chat panel, and an agent mode that can edit multiple files. Best for developers who prefer a visual IDE over the terminal.

Which Should You Choose?

For marketers and non-developers, Claude Code is the strongest choice because of its skills ecosystem — you can install pre-built marketing skills that give Claude domain expertise in SEO, copywriting, email automation, and more. No IDE knowledge required; just open your terminal and type claude.

Who is Vibe Coding For?

Vibe coding removes the syntax barrier, opening up software creation to a much broader audience:

• Marketers — Build automations, generate content pipelines, audit SEO, create email sequences, and analyze data without writing code from scratch
• Founders & PMs — Prototype features, build MVPs, and create internal tools by describing what you need
• Designers — Turn Figma designs into working code, build interactive prototypes, generate CSS
• Experienced developers — Move 5-10x faster on routine tasks, boilerplate, and repetitive patterns
• Content creators — Automate publishing workflows, build custom CMS features, generate structured content

The r/vibecoding community has grown to over 150K+ members, with the majority identifying as non-developers who are building real products and automations.

Getting Started: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Install Claude Code

You need Node.js 18+ installed. Then:

# Install Claude Code globally
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Navigate to your project (or create a new directory)
mkdir my-marketing-project && cd my-marketing-project

# Start Claude Code
claude

On first run, you’ll authenticate with your Anthropic account. Claude Code runs in your terminal — no IDE needed.

Step 2: Install Marketing Skills

Skills are SKILL.md files that teach Claude domain-specific knowledge. Install them with one command:

# Browse all available skills
npx mkt-skills list

# Install individual skills
npx mkt-skills install content-strategy
npx mkt-skills install copywriting
npx mkt-skills install email-sequence
npx mkt-skills install social-content

# Or install an entire curated set
npx mkt-skills install-set thrivemattic-marketing-suite

Skills get installed to ~/.claude/skills/ and are automatically available in every Claude Code session. Browse the full skills directory →

Step 3: Connect MCP Servers (Optional)

MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers connect Claude to external tools. Add them to your project’s .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "search-console": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "search-console-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Popular MCP servers for marketers:

• Search Console MCP — Pull Google Search Console data into Claude for SEO analysis
• Google Ads MCP — Manage and analyze Google Ads campaigns
• Meta Ads MCP — Facebook and Instagram ad management
• Airtable MCP — Read and write to Airtable bases for content calendars and CRMs
• Figma Developer MCP — Pull designs directly from Figma into code

Step 4: Create a CLAUDE.md File

A CLAUDE.md file at your project root tells Claude about your project, preferences, and constraints. It persists across sessions:

# Project Instructions

## About
Marketing automation project for [Your Company].
Target audience: B2B SaaS founders.

## Preferences
- Write in a conversational, non-corporate tone
- Always include CTAs in content
- Use data and specific numbers, not vague claims
- Default to SEO-optimized content structure

## Tools
- Email: ActiveCampaign
- CRM: HubSpot
- Analytics: Google Analytics 4 + Search Console
- CMS: WordPress

Step 5: Start Prompting

With skills installed and your CLAUDE.md in place, just describe what you want:

# In your terminal, inside your project:
claude

# Then type naturally:
> "Write a 5-email welcome sequence for new trial users.
   Use the email-sequence skill. Target B2B SaaS founders
   who just signed up. Focus on activation, not selling."

Claude will use the email-sequence skill’s framework, read your CLAUDE.md for tone and audience context, and generate a complete sequence.

Best Skills for Vibe Coding

Claude Code skills supercharge vibe coding by giving Claude domain-specific expertise. Here are the most impactful skills for marketers:

Content Creation

SEO & Analytics

Email & Lead Generation

★ = Premium skill. Available with the Thrivemattic Marketing Suite (16 skills).

Browse All Skills →

Tips for Effective Vibe Coding

1. Be specific about outcomes, not implementation — Say “create a 5-email onboarding sequence that reduces churn” not “write some emails.”
2. Provide context in CLAUDE.md — The more Claude knows about your brand, audience, and tools, the better the output.
3. Install relevant skills first — Skills give Claude frameworks and best practices. Without them, you get generic output.
4. Iterate, don’t restart — If the first output isn’t right, tell Claude what to change. It keeps the full conversation context.
5. Review before shipping — Vibe coding doesn’t mean no review. Always check outputs for accuracy, brand voice, and data correctness.
6. Start small — Begin with a single blog post or email before tackling a full content pipeline.
7. Use /skills in Claude Code — Type /skills to see which skills are installed and available in your current session.

Real-World Vibe Coding Examples

Example 1: SEO Content Pipeline

A marketer installs the SEO Content Pipeline skill and prompts:

> "Research keywords for 'email marketing automation for startups'.
   Create a content brief, then write the full article optimized
   for that keyword cluster."

Claude researches keyword variations, creates a structured brief with H2s mapped to search intent, writes a 2,000-word article with internal links, meta description, and schema markup — all in one session.

Example 2: Cold Email Campaign

A founder uses the Cold Email skill:

> "Write a 3-step cold email sequence targeting VP of Marketing
   at Series B SaaS companies. Pain point: they're spending too
   much on agencies for SEO. We offer an AI-powered alternative."

Claude generates personalized first lines, value propositions, objection handling, and follow-up timing — using the skill’s proven framework.

Example 3: Analytics Dashboard

A PM connects the Search Console MCP and prompts:

> "Pull our top 50 pages by clicks from Search Console.
   Identify pages where we rank position 4-10 (striking distance).
   Create a prioritized list with estimated traffic uplift."

Claude fetches live data via the MCP, analyzes ranking positions, and produces an actionable optimization list.

Resources

• Claude Code Documentation — Official getting started guide, configuration, and reference
• Claude Code Skills Guide — How skills work, how to create your own
• Model Context Protocol — MCP specification and server registry
• Marketing Skills Directory — 100+ marketing skills and MCP servers for Claude Code
• OpenAI Codex CLI — Open-source terminal agent for OpenAI models
• Thrivemattic Marketing Suite — Curated set of 16 premium marketing skills

Recommended Videos

• Claude Code Full Course (for Beginners) — Complete walkthrough of setting up and using Claude Code
• Master 80% of Claude Code in 25 Minutes — Fast-track guide to the most important features
• Claude Skills Tutorial: Build Custom AI Tools — Step-by-step guide to creating your own skills
• The Real Power of Claude Agent Skills — Why structured skills outperform ad-hoc prompting
• How To Set Up Claude Code for SEO — Practical walkthrough for marketing use cases

Related Guides

• What is Vibe Marketing? — The marketing application of vibe coding
• What is AI-Native Marketing? — Building marketing operations around AI from the ground up