Vibe Code Seattle Meetup

Vibe Coding like a Pro
Vibe coding lets you build apps at the speed of thought, but speed without a map leads to a wreck. This session is for the "Vibe-curious" who want to ship real products without waking up to a deleted database or a codebase they can't explain. We aren't here for "best practices"—we’re here for the simple, high-value rules that keep your app alive. We’ll cover how to stop treating AI like a magic wand and start treating it like a junior dev that needs a strict leash.
(We will do live demos and examples with Replit)
Agenda (90 Minutes)
1. The Golden Rules of the Vibe (30 mins)

• The "Small Changes" Law: Never ask the AI to "Build the whole app." If you can’t log what happened, you can’t fix it. Small, incremental prompts only.
• Trust, but Verify (Regressions): Every time you add a button, check if the login still works. If you don't test, you aren't building; you're just guessing.
• Context is King: Stop starting fresh chats. We’ll show you how to build a Context File—a "Source of Truth" that tells the AI exactly what your business does, what UX experience you want, and how your code is structured before it writes a single line. It can even create the right test data.
• Solve Problems, Not Screens: Don't ask for a "Blue button." Ask for "A way for the customer to pay their invoice." Give the AI the business goal, not just a layout.

2. Data: Where the Bodies are Buried (30 mins)

• The Entity Trap: Even if you don't know what an "entity" is, the AI is creating them. If you aren't careful, your data will become a tangled web of "stuff" the AI can’t find later.
• The "Delete" Disaster: Why one delete action can cascade and delete your entire customer history. We’ll talk about Referential Integrity in plain English—keeping your records from disappearing.
• Keys: Keep 'em Simple & Dumb: Don't use "Smart Keys" (like using a name as a key). People change names. Companies change names. Use single, "dumb" ID numbers or the AI will mess up your connections. Numbers, vs UUIDs vs Surrogate Keys, why do you care? - because they bite.
• Denormalization for Humans: Don't let the AI create 50 tiny tables for "States," "Colors," and "Tags." If it’s simple, keep it in the main table. Don't let the AI over-engineer you into a corner.

3. Storage: Picking Your Bucket (20 mins)

• SQL vs. NoSQL: When to use a rigid "spreadsheet-style" DB (SQL) vs. a "flexible-pile" (NoSQL).
• Cloud Buckets: Why photos and layout files (like your 128k layout pics and 400KB photos) don't belong inside your database. Learn where to put the "heavy" stuff so your app stays fast.

4. Q&A (10 mins)
Open floor for specific "Why did my app break?" questions.