What Tools Do You Need for Vibe Coding & AI Apps?
Level Up from Basic AI App Builders to Building Production-Ready apps!
Ever wondered how some folks are pumping out apps like they’re tossing together a quick playlist? Vibe coding is the magic behind it. Just use one of the top AI App builders, and natural language and boom, you’re done.
So, is that all you need? AI app builders?
They are your entry ticket. But trust me... they’re just the warm-up act. To really shine, you need a stack of other tools to “really” build a product.
Let’s dive into the must-have tools for vibe coding, from prompt management to deployment, with a few of my favorite hacks sprinkled in.
Kicking Things Off: Top AI App Builders
We’ll start from the start. AI app builders are like the training wheels for vibe coding. They get you rolling fast, no coding degree required. They let you turn ideas into functional apps with just a few words, making them perfect for beginners and pros alike. Here’s the cream of the crop right now:
Lovable: Describe your app in plain English, and Lovable spins up a full-stack web app. No coding skills needed.
Bolt.new: Build, edit, and deploy apps in more than a few frameworks. Gives you more control than Lovable, but with that comes a few more challenges for non-coders.
Firebase Studio: This is the new kid on the block. I tried it this weekend and found that after a few technical hiccups, it was kinda easy to work with.
These tools are clutch for getting started, but vibe coding is a marathon, not a sprint. Let’s talk about the categories and tools that take you to the next level, and why they matter.
Find more tools at: AI App Builders for Vibe Coding
Prompt Management: The Heartbeat of Vibe Coding
Why it matters: Prompting is the core of vibe coding. Think of it like giving directions to a super-smart intern. Clear instructions get you killer results, but vague ones? Uff 🥴 You’re stuck with a mess. Prompt management tools help you organize, reuse, and perfect your prompts, saving you hours and keeping your projects on point. Especially if you will be building more than a single product.
And… why would you just build one? If you have one of the app builders above 😜.
Gud Prompt: Not gonna lie... this tool is a must have. Gud Prompt lets you save and organize your best AI prompts so you’re not starting from scratch every time. It’s like a recipe book for vibe coding. You can also share your faves with others and build your audience.
AI Platforms: The Engine Under the Hood
Why it matters: AI platforms are not only the brains behind the AI app builders. They can also be the brains behind your products. They can power everything from simple form-filling automation to full-fledged multi-step workflows. Without them, your users are stuck manually typing everything 😥 hard pass!
Claude: A conversational AI that’s safe and versatile, perfect for coding or creative brainstorming.
OpenAI: The muscle behind ChatGPT. Use it to write, debug, or prototype with natural language.
Gemini: Google’s multimodal AI handles text, code, and more. It’s a Swiss Army knife for vibe coders.
On top of all that, these platforms give you the ability to become the “product manager” of your app! Just ask questions and let the LLM play the role of a user or an influencer for research. Or even help you figure out what market to target, and how.
It’s a must to have at least one of these as your “co-founder” while you build your product.
Find more tools at: AI Platforms for Vibe Coding
Analytics Tools: Know Your App’s Pulse
Why it matters: Building an app is only half the game; you need to know how users are using it. Analytics tools give you a clear picture of what’s working and what’s not, so you can tweak without guessing. They’re like a GPS for your app’s growth, keeping you data-driven without killing the creative buzz.
Posthog: Open-source analytics with autocapture and replays. It’s like X-ray vision for user behavior.
Google Analytics: This is a classic for web analytics and is mostly used for websites. Tracks user actions across devices. A classic for a reason.
I use both of these in almost every project I build. There are other options for both. Especially if you want to be compliant with GDPR, etc. But some of them might be a bit more complicated to implement for vibe coders.
I’d love to hear from you if you have a favorite, that is also easy to add to vibe coded projects using simple prompts!
Find more tools at: Analytics Tools for Vibe Coding
Automation Tools: Your Personal Assistant
Why it matters: Automation tools are your vibe coding superpower. They handle repetitive tasks, such as connecting apps or running multi-step AI flows. So you can focus on the big picture. They’re the difference between spending hours on busywork and shipping your app in record time.
Zapier: Connects your apps to other well-known apps with a few clicks. No code, just clicks.
Make.com: A no-code platform for building AI-driven workflows visually. Total game-changer.
Flowise: Drag-and-drop LLM apps with local model support. Rapid development, zero stress.
Another good reason to use one of these as part of your stack is that your “workflow” is separate from your code.
You can improve your AI prompts, or the number of steps, or even the core functionality, without ever needing to touch your codebase.
Find more tools at: Automation Tools for Vibe Coding
Backends / Databases: The App’s Foundation
Why it matters: Every app needs a backbone to store data and handle logic. Without a solid backend, your app is like a shell of a house, with no rooms or furniture. These tools make it easy to set up reliable, scalable systems, so your app can actually be useful to real users.
Supabase: An open-source Firebase alternative with PostgreSQL and real-time features. Scales like a dream.
Firebase: Google’s go-to for real-time data and authentication. Fast and dependable.
If you don’t know what any of these mean, that’s OK. Most App builders we talked about earlier have some way of automatically connecting with a database of some sort.
The reason why I recommend going with one of these (or similar) database platforms is that they provide more than just a database. They provide a suite of services that your front-end app will need to build anything of value.
This includes database, authentication, file storage, server-side functions, etc. Depending on the product's needs, you may need some or all of these services.
Find more tools at: Backends / Databases for Vibe Coding
CSS Frameworks: Look Good, Feel Good
Why it matters: First impressions are everything. A clunky interface can tank your app, no matter how great the backend is. CSS frameworks let you build sleek, responsive designs fast, so your app looks as good as it performs, without spending weeks on styling.
Tailwind CSS: Build modern designs without leaving your HTML. It’s a vibe.
Bootstrap: Mobile-first and customizable. Perfect for quick, responsive UIs.
Material-UI: React components with Material Design flair. Sharp and accessible.
This is another example of something that is nice to know for you as a vibe coder. But most app builders will simply make the choice for you, and you can just go with it.
It will (at times) come in handy if you want to use an external tool. Knowing that your app uses Tailwind CSS or Bootstrap will allow you to use proper terms when asking other AI’s for code snippets that fit well with the rest of your code.
Find more tools at: CSS Frameworks for Vibe Coding
Design Tools: Craft a Killer User Experience
Why it matters: Great design isn’t just about looking pretty. It’s about making your app intuitive and engaging. Design tools let you prototype and polish your User Interface and User eXperience (often referred to as UI/UX), so users keep coming back. They bridge the gap between your idea and a product people love.
Figma: Collaborative UI design and prototyping. Your team’s new bestie.
Adobe XD: Build and share interactive designs for web and mobile. Pro-level, seamless.
Sketch: Pixel-perfect designs with dev-friendly exports. A designer’s dream.
Some vibe coders might argue that you don’t need these tools anymore, given that I can just “talk” to the AI App Builders and nail the design.
Well, that works fine if you are asking for stuff like: “build me a clone of Instagram”, etc. LLM’s have already “seen” designs of those apps, so you don’t need to explain much.
But when you start building an experience that is unique. Knowing these tools to quickly draw something is way better!
As the old adage goes:
A picture is worth a thousand words!
Find more tools at: Design Tools for Vibe Coding
Editors: Get Hands-On When It Counts
Why it matters: Sometimes you need to dive into the code yourself, maybe to tweak a feature or debug a glitch. Editors with AI smarts let you do it without losing the vibe coding flow. They’re like a trusty mechanic you can instruct while standing beside them, while you both are looking “under the hood”.
Cursor: AI-enhanced VSCode that makes coding feel effortless.
VS Code: The king of customizable editors. Add Github Copilot and a few other extensions, and you’re golden.
Windsurf: An AI IDE built to keep you in the creative zone.
This will most likely make you feel like a “real” developer. Which means there is a bit of a learning curve involved.
My recommendation: get your environment set up by a vibe-coding-friendly developer and/or look up a quick tutorial online (hell, if you want, I will make one, just lemme know in the comments)
Find more tools at: Editors for Vibe Coding
Hosting & Cloud Providers: Take It to the World
Why it matters: You’ve built the app, now it’s showtime. Hosting and cloud providers make deployment a breeze, ensuring your app is fast, secure, and ready for users anywhere. Without them, your masterpiece stays stuck on your laptop.
Vercel: The go-to for frontend apps. Build, scale, and secure with ease.
Netlify: Fast, scalable web deployment for any framework. Simplicity at its finest.
AWS: The big daddy of cloud services. Handles any project, any size.
Some, not all, AI App Builders now offer seamless hosting as you build your app. And you could very well go to “production” (fancy word for big bad world) with those.
For new vibe coders, that is just fine. You can go quite far with those and validate the problem you’re solving. Once you’re ready to serve millions of users, the above options will come in handy.
The good news is, all of these companies are working on making it easy to move your Vibe-coded projects over.
Find more tools at: Hosting & Cloud Providers for Vibe Coding
Version Control: Your Safety Net
Why it matters: Hindsight is 20/20, right? Version control saves your bacon by tracking changes and letting you collaborate without chaos. One bad edit can derail your project. Version control ensures you can roll back and keep the vibes positive.
GitHub: The gold standard for version control and teamwork. No vibe coder should skip it.
I could name a few more, but you know what, just go with Github.
Let’s Wrap This Up: Your Vibe Coding Playbook
AI app builders are the spark that gets you going, but the real magic happens when you stack your toolkit with heavyweights like Gud Prompt for killer prompts, Supabase for a rock-solid backend, and Vercel for a smooth launch. Vibe coding is all about staying in the flow. Mixing creativity with the right tools to bring your ideas to life.
Feeling inspired? Pick one of these tools and give it a spin this week.
Share your results in the comments. I’d love to see what you’re building!
Got a go-to tool I didn’t mention? Head over to https://vibecoder.me/tools. I might have it there already.
But if not, comment below or DM me. Keep the vibe coding community buzzing!
Great summary and explanation of the concepts & components one needs to know for vibecoding 👍🏻