Can Beginners Really 'Vibe Code' Apps? A Hands-On Look at Cursor and Replit

Can Beginners Really 'Vibe Code' Apps? A Hands-On Look at Cursor and Replit

The promise of AI coding tools has always been seductive: tell a machine what you want, and it builds it. But can non-coders actually deliver working applications without writing a single line of code? ZDNET's Tiernan Ray put this to the test—and the results are more nuanced than the hype suggests.

What Is Vibe Coding?

"Vibe coding" is a term that's gained traction in 2025-2026 to describe building software by describing your intentions in natural language and letting AI handle the implementation. Rather than writing syntax, you "code by vibes"—explaining what you want the app to do and trusting the AI to figure out the rest.

The movement has been fueled by tools like Cursor, Replit, Lovable, and GitHub Copilot, all of which can generate entire applications from prompts. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang famously declared that "English is going to be the new programming language."

The Test: Building a Database Analysis Tool

Ray attempted to build a database analysis tool that could ingest word-processing documents and search them for patterns—not a simple Hello World app, but something with real utility. His goal was to create a searchable archive of his 1,731 newsletter articles that could answer complex queries like "How has the position of Nvidia as a company changed over the past five years?"

What Worked

Automated setup: Cursor handled the "virtual environment," found and installed code libraries, and ran a local server—all from simple natural-language prompts. Tasks that would normally require multiple terminal commands were abstracted away.

Code generation: The tool produced actual working code, not just scaffolds. Ray described his project in vague terms, and Cursor formulated a plan, set up files, and generated a functional user interface.

Iterative refinement: Like working with a senior developer, you could prompt the tool to tweak functionality and see results immediately.

What Didn't Work

The terminal problem: Despite the promise of no-code, PC-based tools like Cursor still frequently bounced users into terminal windows to run command-line tasks. For non-programmers, this was a significant barrier—even if you "know your way around a command line," it added tedious steps.

Cloud credit consumption: Cloud-based tools like Replit and Lovable burned through credits quickly as users experimented with different approaches to get their apps working.

Privacy concerns: Putting private data in the cloud raised anxiety—a legitimate concern for anyone building apps with sensitive information.

The hidden gotcha: As Ray put it, "Conceiving an app's goals and how to get there is the hidden gotcha of AI coding." The AI can write code, but it can't define your product vision. You still need to know what you're building and why.

The Verdict

After several days of experimentation, Ray managed to get a small, simple data analysis program running. It was a promising start—but he acknowledged he couldn't have gotten far without some programming knowledge.

The takeaway: AI coding tools can go a long way toward simplifying code setup, but there's still a lot of work to refine the results. For complete beginners, the learning curve is gentler than traditional coding, but not flat.

Primary source:

• •ZDNET — Can a newbie really vibe code an app? I tried Cursor and Replit to find out (February 13, 2026)

https://www.zdnet.com/article/beginner-vibe-coding-apps-cursor-replit-hands-on/

What This Means for Developers

For experienced developers, these tools are unambiguous wins—they accelerate workflows dramatically. For true beginners, vibe coding offers an accessible entry point but likely won't replace the need to eventually learn fundamental programming concepts.

The technology is advancing quickly. As tools improve, the gap between "vibe" and "code" will continue to narrow. But for now, the best approach is pragmatic: use AI to accelerate, not to replace, your understanding of how software works.

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Have you tried vibe coding? Share your experience with Cursor, Replit, or Lovable in the comments.