Intro to Vibe Coding

Build software by describing it.

Vibe coding for people who have never coded: eight hands-on challenges that teach you to never lose your work, keep your secrets safe, and put something real on the internet.

Start Challenge 0 Browse the course map

Free. No experience needed. About six hours, spread over as many days as you like.

How this works

  • 8 challenges, in order. Each one is 30–60 minutes, mostly doing.
  • You need one thing installed: an AI coding assistant (e.g. ZCode, Claude Code, Cursor, or Replit) and a web browser. Challenge 0 covers setup.
  • Every challenge follows the same shape: a story → hands-on steps → prompts to copy-paste → a "you passed when" checklist → what to do when it goes wrong.
  • Work in pairs or a group if you can. Comparing disasters is half the fun.

The course map

  1. Meet Your AI Copilot Set up your workshop, build your first page in 10 minutes 30 min
  2. The Git Time Machine Never lose your work — undo anything 60 min
  3. Secrets: Don't Get Hacked Keep passwords and API keys out of danger 45 min
  4. Prompt Like a Pro Get the AI to build what's actually in your head 45 min
  5. The Red Text Fix errors without panicking 45 min
  6. Trust, But Verify Review what the AI changed before accepting it 45 min
  7. Ship It Put your creation on the real internet 60 min
  8. Capstone Build and launch something real, end to end 2–4 hrs

The 5 Golden Rules of Vibe Coding

  1. Save before you renovate. Make a git save point before letting the AI make big changes. (Challenge 1)
  2. Secrets never leave the drawer. Passwords and API keys live in .env and are never pasted into chats, code, or screenshots. (Challenge 2)
  3. The AI is your intern, not your boss. Brilliant, tireless, and occasionally overconfident. You review, you decide. (Challenges 3 & 5)
  4. Errors are clues, not failures. Red text is treasure map data. (Challenge 4)
  5. One change at a time. Small requests, reviewed, saved, shipped. (Challenge 6)

FAQ

Do I need to learn to code?
No. You'll learn to read enough — like knowing what a street sign means vs. being a mechanic. You'll pick up vocabulary naturally.
Which AI assistant should I use?
Any that can edit files on your computer (ZCode, Claude Code, Cursor) — or a browser-based one (Replit). The challenges are tool-agnostic; when we say "ask your AI," any of them works.
What does this cost?
The course is free. AI assistants have free tiers good enough for all 8 challenges; paid plans (~$20/month) are faster but not required. Deploying in Challenge 6 is free (GitHub Pages).
What if I break something?
That's the point of Challenge 1. Git is a time machine — and by Challenge 2 you'll know how to verify nothing dangerous got saved.

Start here → Challenge 0: Meet Your AI Copilot