In short:
Several AI advisors from DEN started working with vibe coding themselves. Their most important lesson: don’t start with the tool, but with a clear problem. Choose an AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT) for a first prototype, or a specialized platform (Bolt, Lovable) if you want to publish directly. Test each result like a conversation, and have a developer review it before going live with a public tool.
Want to know what vibe coding actually is, what the pros and cons are, and when to use it? First, read this article.
What can you build?
Anything. Think of websites, apps, forms, checklists, questionnaires, dashboards—you name it, you can build it with AI. For the cultural sector, here are a few examples:
An internal scheduling tool for a theater company’s technical team and cast.
An interactive map of locations and programs at a festival.
A digital quiz as part of an educational program, fully tailored to the target audience.
A registration form for an activity.
An overview page for one-time guest programming, without relying on the website administrator.
The power of vibe coding is that you can create lightweight, customized tools for situations where off-the-shelf software doesn’t exist or is too expensive.
Which tools can you use?
There are roughly three types of tools for vibe coding. They vary greatly in accessibility, features, and the target audience they are intended for.
1. General AI assistants
Famous examples: Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Mistral.
When suitable: as a starting point for those with no experience in vibe coding, for developing concepts and simple internal tools.
These are the chat tools you probably already know or use. You describe what you want to build, and the AI generates the code. Many of these tools have a built-in preview mode where you can see the result directly next to the chat. Although the tool appears to work here, it is not yet published for use or sharing. For example, you cannot extract information from a quiz or form.
2. Specialized vibe coding platforms
Famous examples: Bolt, Lovable, Base44, Replit.
When suitable: once you’ve gained some experience, or if you want to build a fully publishable tool directly.
These platforms are specifically designed for vibe coding and combine a chat interface with live preview and hosting in one environment. The big difference from a general AI assistant is that you can do all steps, from building to hosting, on one platform. The downside is that you need to learn a new platform, and costs can arise with intensive use.
3. AI-enhanced development environments
Famous examples: Cursor, Claude Code, Codex.
These tools are built for developers who can already program and use AI to work faster. They are powerful but assume technical knowledge that most cultural professionals don’t have. The rest of this article focuses on the first two categories.
Category | Examples | Test environment | Backend and hosting | For whom |
General AI assistants | Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Mistral | Preview in chat | Not built-in | Beginners, simple tools |
Specialized platforms | Bolt, Lovable, Base44, Replit | Live preview in platform | Built-in and automatic | Advanced users, complex tools |
Development environments | Cursor, Claude Code, Codex | In the programming environment | Self-managed | Developers with programming knowledge |
How to get started with vibe coding in 5 steps
Gather insights
Don’t start with the tool, start with the question. Who is your target audience? What problem do you want to solve? What should someone be able to do with your tool, and what should the outcome be?
The clearer you define the problem, the better AI can help you. Here are a few questions to answer:
- Who am I building this for? (audience, colleagues, volunteers, children?)
- What problem does it solve, or what task does it make easier?
- What should the outcome be for the user?
Decide what you want to build
Choose one specific, well-defined problem. This might seem limiting, but it’s the key to success. A tool that does one thing well is better than a tool that tries to do too much. Briefly describe what the tool should do, for whom, and what the visible outcome is.
Example: "A form that allows visitors to register for a guided tour. They fill in their name, email address, and desired date and receive a confirmation message."
Describe your needs and adjust
Type in plain language what you want to build. Provide as much context as possible: the purpose of the tool, who the users are, what information is needed, and your organization’s style. Add relevant documents or texts, for example, about your organization, the activity, exhibition, or performance, or a description of your team’s workflow.
A detailed prompt yields a much better result than a short command. Compare:
"Create a quiz about the Golden Age."
with:
"Create an interactive quiz for children aged 8 to 12 as part of our educational program about the Golden Age. The quiz has 10 questions with multiple-choice answers. After each question, the child sees whether their answer was correct or incorrect. At the end, they receive a score with a short message. The style is dark blue and gold."
If you don’t get a working tool right away, add the text "a working [tool] in HTML" to your prompt. HTML is a format that works directly in a browser without extra installations.
Treat it as a conversation
Vibe coding is not a one-time action but a dialogue. Test the first result, describe what doesn’t work, and ask for adjustments. Be specific:
- "The button doesn’t work; clicking it does nothing."
- "The questions are too difficult for children; make them simpler."
- "Add a progress bar at the top of the page."
The uncertainty of "do I know what I’m doing?" is part of the beginning. The moment your first prototype works, that feeling will quickly disappear.
If you get an error message in the code, share the code or error message with AI and let AI fix it.
Have a technical eye review it
If you want to actually use the tool, especially for the public, have a developer or IT advisor review it before going live. Consider:
- Security: are data processed securely?
- Privacy and GDPR: are personal data stored, and if so, is it compliant with the law?
- Accessibility: is the tool usable for people with disabilities?
- Management: who is responsible if something goes wrong or if the tool needs updates?
This is less urgent for internal use but an essential step for a public tool.
The first step is the hardest
Finally, an honest note: vibe coding lets you build great tools, but it can also disappoint, especially at the beginning. A tool might turn out differently than hoped or be harder to integrate than expected. At first, you’ll mostly build simple things; more complex applications require more experience. That frustration is part of the process. It’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong but that you’re learning.
Start small, experiment, and be surprised by what’s possible. The moment your first prototype works feels liberating: more autonomy to create digital tools tailored to your work and situation.
Want to experiment further with vibe coding?
DEN is organizing two activities this fall where vibe coding will be covered. Want to learn vibe coding yourself under guidance? Join the workshop AI Deep Dive (opens in new tab).
Do you have a great idea but prefer to leave the tool-building to experts? Join the hackathon (opens in new tab).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool should I choose as a beginner?Show explanationHide explanation
Start with a general AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT. You probably already know them, and you can test a first prototype for free without a new platform. Only switch to a specialized platform like Bolt or Lovable when you want to publish the tool.
What should I do if vibe coding gives an error?Show explanationHide explanation
Share the error message or code directly with AI and ask for a solution. Vibe coding is a dialogue: describe specifically what’s going wrong, for example, "the button doesn’t work when I click it," instead of just "it doesn’t work."
Can I publish a vibe-coded tool for my audience right away?Show explanationHide explanation
No, not without review. Always have a developer or IT advisor check security, privacy (GDPR), accessibility, and management before launching a public tool.
Verder experimenteren met vibe coding?
DEN organiseert dit najaar twee activiteiten waarin vibe coding aan bod komen. Wil je onder begeleiding zelf leren vibe coden? Sluit dan aan bij de workshop Verdieping in AI.
Heb je een goed idee maar wil je het bouwen van een tool liever aan experts overlaten? Sluit dan aan bij de hackathon.
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