- Author
- Simon Willison
- Published
- 7th October 2025
- Kind
- Personal blog post proposing a term, with practitioner opinion
- Original
- simonwillison.net/2025/Oct/7/vibe-engineering/
- Subject
- Harnesses and agent loops
- Themes
- Skill under automation, Handing over control
What it is
Simon Willison writes a long-running weblog on AI tools. The post names the careful end of AI-assisted coding, in contrast with vibe coding.
What it says
- The post proposes vibe engineering for professionals who stay accountable for AI-assisted software.
- Working productively with LLMs on real projects is difficult, the author says.
- Agents reward existing practices such as tests, planning, documentation, version control and code review.
- Without a solid test suite, an agent may claim something works without testing it.
- Managing an agent is likened to managing a human collaborator.
- AI tools amplify existing expertise, so experienced engineers get better results.
- An update says the term agentic engineering seems to be winning out.
What evidence it gives
The evidence is the author's own experience and judgment. The post lists practices without data or comparisons. It offers no test of whether they improve results.
Interests and limits
The author coined the term and says the name is partly tongue in cheek. The claims come from one developer's work. No claim was measured. The post later notes the term was overtaken by another.