(R)evolution of Programming: Vibe Coding as a Post-Coding Paradigm

2025-10-14

AI Summary

This study investigates “Vibe Coding” (VC), a generative-AI–driven programming paradigm, to elucidate its fundamental distinctions from tool-oriented AI-assisted programming (e.g., GitHub Copilot). Employing semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis grounded in End-User Development (EUD) theory, the work introduces the metaphor of “co-drifting”—capturing the intuitive, affectively mediated, and co-evolutionary interaction between developers and AI, thereby redefining boundaries between professional and non-professional programmers. Five core themes emerge: creativity, sustainability, the future of programming, collaboration, and critique. Findings confirm VC’s efficacy in fostering expressive coding and rapid prototyping, yet expose critical challenges concerning reproducibility, scalability, and inclusivity. The study thus provides foundational theoretical insights and practical implications for human–AI co-programming in the post-coding era.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Other Foundations of Human Computation & AI
• Natural Language Processing: Code Generation / Program Synthesis from Natural Language
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Computational Creativity

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Research challenges in human and human-AI computation
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Practical large-scale studies of user experience
• Social Networks and Social Media: Generative AI / large language models and their impact on social systems

Abstract

Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly large language models, have introduced new possibilities for software development practices. In our paper we investigate the emerging Vibe Coding (VC) paradigm that emphasizes intuitive, affect-driven, and improvisational interactions between developers and AI systems. Building upon the discourse of End-User Development (EUD), we explore how VC diverges from conventional programming approaches such as those supported by tools like GitHub Copilot. Through five semi-structured interview sessions with ten experienced software practitioners, we identify five thematic dimensions: creativity, sustainability, the future of programming, collaboration, and criticism. Our analysis conceptualizes VC within the metaphor of co-drifting, contrasting it with the prevalent co-piloting perspective of AI-assisted development. We argue that VC reconfigures the developers role, blurring boundaries between professional and non-developers. While VC enables novel forms of expression and rapid prototyping, it also introduces challenges regarding reproducibility, scalability, and inclusivity. We propose that VC represents a meaningful shift in programming culture, warranting further investigation within human-computer interaction (HCI) and software engineering research.

Problem

• Investigating Vibe Coding as an intuitive AI-driven programming paradigm
• Contrasting Vibe Coding with traditional AI-assisted development approaches
• Analyzing Vibe Coding's impact on developer roles and software practices

Innovation

• Vibe Coding emphasizes intuitive affect-driven AI interactions
• It conceptualizes development as co-drifting metaphor
• It reconfigures developer roles blurring professional boundaries