I shipped my first real app using a vibe coding workflow, and it changed how I think about building products.
The app is TabRush: a lightweight ad marketplace where one Safari tab becomes a spotlight for a sponsor. It’s inspired by the simplicity of early internet ideas, but built for makers and startups who want fast visibility.
Why I built this
I kept asking myself a simple question:
Can one high-attention placement outperform dozens of ignored ad slots?
Most indie teams don’t just struggle with shipping features.
They struggle with distribution.
So I wanted to build something that is:
- easy to understand in seconds,
- fast to use,
- and focused on visibility, not complexity.
My first vibe coding experience
I had used AI-assisted workflows before, but this was the first time I used vibe coding from idea to launch prep.
What worked:
- Tight constraints in prompts
- Short iteration loops
- Fast UI/content experimentation
What didn’t:
- Generic outputs when prompts were too broad
- Inconsistent product voice without clear writing guidelines
- “Fast code” that still needed human product judgment
Big lesson: vibe coding gives speed, but clarity and taste still come from the founder.
How the product evolved
TabRush started as a fun concept and became a clearer product:
- one spotlight tab for the latest sponsor
- side tabs for previous sponsors
- increasing value as new spots are booked
That evolution happened through repeated feedback and build-in-public iterations.
What I learned during launch prep
The final 20% was not just coding.
It was:
- positioning,
- messaging,
- trust signals,
- and making the value obvious in 5 seconds.
Shipping fast is useful. Shipping clear is what converts.
If you’re building with vibe coding
*My practical advice:
*- Define constraints before writing prompts
- Validate product clarity before polishing visuals
- Treat copy as product, not decoration
- Use AI for speed, but keep decisions human
If you’re curious, the product I built is TabRush.
It’s my first full launch using this workflow, and I’m sharing the process publicly as I keep improving it.
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