Vibe coded plugins

[dionenoid]

Posting this article, that mentions this topic, in this topic :
https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2026/0 ... synthedit/

[jamcat]

Interesting POV from BPB. I agree with it about "vibe coded" plugins having a certain SynthEdit quality about them.

However, I would say that's because the same sort of people are making the same sort of plugins for the same reasons, and that's why you're going to get the same sort of results.

But I have a problem with the term "vibe coding" in general. The reason is because absolutely everyone is using AI assistance to develop software now. If you're not at this point, then you're falling behind. AI has reached a point now where it is as good as an experienced programmer, but a lot faster and a lot less prone to errors. So everyone is "vibe coding" to some degree now. It ranges from just letting VS Code auto-complete your lines and automatically alert you to errors as you create them, all the way down to people who don't even know what C++ is creating an entire plugin from a single AI text prompt and putting the result out into the world. But the vast majority of programmers are doing something that falls somewhere in between the two extremes. But nebulous term like "vibe coding" seems to stigmatize all of it.

The problem with "vibe coding" isn't the code being generated. The problem is the inexperience of the human directing the AI. They lack a background in algorithm design, data flow diagramming, software design patterns and principles, code hygiene, software development lifecycles, test case design, debugging and unit testing. AI can assist in all of that, but the inexperienced "vibe coder" doesn't even know what he doesn't know.

[TheMaestro]

Everyone isn't "vibe coding".
Using AI for coding is not the same as vibe coding.

[jamcat]

Everyone isn't "vibe coding".
Using AI for coding is not the same as vibe coding.

The line is pretty blurred now due to deep integration of GitHub Copilot, Claude, and Codex in VS Code and XCode. And like I said, a nebulous term like "vibe coding" seems to stigmatize all of it.

Just read the first few pages of this thread to see the "vibe coding" witch hunt in full froth over an independent developer's completely reasonable use of AI.

[conduitdsp]

I guess it depends on the scope of the plugin? Hardcore DSP emulating complex FX and synths will likely shit the bed. But sometihng simple that's intuitive an new...why not??

[audiojunkie]

Interesting POV from BPB. I agree with it about "vibe coded" plugins having a certain SynthEdit quality about them.

However, I would say that's because the same sort of people are making the same sort of plugins for the same reasons, and that's why you're going to get the same sort of results.

But I have a problem with the term "vibe coding" in general. The reason is because absolutely everyone is using AI assistance to develop software now. If you're not at this point, then you're falling behind. AI has reached a point now where it is as good as an experienced programmer, but a lot faster and a lot less prone to errors. So everyone is "vibe coding" to some degree now. It ranges from just letting VS Code auto-complete your lines and automatically alert you to errors as you create them, all the way down to people who don't even know what C++ is creating an entire plugin from a single AI text prompt and putting the result out into the world. But the vast majority of programmers are doing something that falls somewhere in between the two extremes. But nebulous term like "vibe coding" seems to stigmatize all of it.

The problem with "vibe coding" isn't the code being generated. The problem is the inexperience of the human directing the AI. They lack a background in algorithm design, data flow diagramming, software design patterns and principles, code hygiene, software development lifecycles, test case design, debugging and unit testing. AI can assist in all of that, but the inexperienced "vibe coder" doesn't even know what he doesn't know.

The key is the person behind the wheel--who is running things. There are two terms for the exact same thing in the industry, depending upon how the coding is done:

Vibe Coder -- This is a No code developer--someone who can't program. It's like a Product Manager giving instructions to an Autistic Savant under worker, and relying totally upon what the autistic savant develops, based off of the high level instructions the Product Manager gives him/her. There is no code review, no vetting of the software, and no knowledge of what the code actually says or does. If it doesn't work, the Product Manager has to try to explain again to the under worker what is wrong and what needs to be fixed. After a lot of back and forth, you may get a working program--but the code itself will often be slop.

AI Assisted Developer -- Experienced programmer who knows exactly what he/she is doing and what he/she wants to achieve. They know the correct prompt engineering steps to take and what to ask for when working with the Autistic Savant co-worker. The co-worker makes the code the best it can, according to the developer's specifications, and the developer checks and vets the code, corrects the code as necessary (AI WILL make mistakes), and is over all responsible for everything the AI co-worker writes. The AI Assisted Developer makes sure, in the end, that the code is as high of quality as it would be if he/she developed it himself/herself, but only at a much faster rate, because of the teamwork with the AI.

It's the same process; it just depends upon how it is done.

[IvyBirds]

AI is just the latest purity test on forums such as this so people can prove their manhood without using a ruler

Much like Mac -vs- Windows, Analog -vs- Digital, Hardware -vs- Software, VST3 -vs- Clap, hating on Behringer, being Dawless, Sample Rates, using tape, etc

We now have people saying "Look at me, I am a real artist and as such I don't use AI" yet the irony this time is that if they use a computer at all they are using software that has AI used to make it.

Apple, Microsoft, Linux, Google, etc all use AI to write code at the OS level. So if you are posting here to are using AI

The firmware running your computer or phone was created with AI so if you post here you are using AI. The DAW you use was created with AI and if you think you don't have any plugins that somehow someway didn't use AI to code it or borrowed code from someone else that used AI well I have a bridge to sell you

People were making crap plugins long before there was AI, and people were making crap music long before there was AI.

The use of AI doesn't change any of that. It's just a tool one that will continue to be used and will continue to get better at what it does

[jamcat]

“We’ve been using AI to generate code internally at Google for a while. Today, 75% of all new code at Google is now AI-generated and approved by engineers, up from 50% last fall.

“We’re now shifting to truly agentic workflows. Our engineers are orchestrating fully autonomous digital task forces, firing off agents and accomplishing incredible things.”

Sundar Pichai
CEO of Google and Alphabet

https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/i ... ar-pichai/

[Tiles]

... The problem with "vibe coding" isn't the code being generated. The problem is the inexperience of the human directing the AI. ...

Who says AI users are inexperienced? Tools don’t create incompetence, they expose and amplify whatever competence is already there.

[jamcat]

Try to grasp the more subtle nuances of the discussion. The gist of it is this:

Using AI to code if you know how to code is OK, but using AI to code if you don't know how to code is not OK. The former is called "AI assisted coding", which is fine. the latter is called "vibe coding", which is not.

So the gate is still kept in tact.

[Tiles]

Got it

Unfortunately this line is never really drawn. Like in the whole AI discussion, where we can see the degradation of all AI usage down to Suno and a single prompt.

[pekbro]

Coding, that always sounds funny to me, so hipster.

[jamcat]

Yes, because beards are involved either way.

[Tiles]

Don't forget the parties and groupies !

[jamcat]

I think the real question we should be discussing now is, are you still going to buy software when you can just have AI build whatever you want for free?

Is it time for professional plugin developers to take up honest labour, like woodwork or plumbing?