It’s been over seven years since I last built a folio site. I’ve hated it for all seven. (Designers, you know the curse.)
Since then, the no-code world has exploded. These days, you can’t open a browser without being told you can launch an app, build a brand, or start a startup, all without writing a single line of code. Just drag, drop, prompt, and publish. Easy, right?
As a designer who’s been vibe-coding on the side for about 3 years,I decided to test the hype. I’ve been coding since I was 12, fluent in HTML, CSS, JS, Node, Flutter… I didn’t need help. I’d like to see what the no-code + AI promise actually delivers.
So I gave myself a challenge: Could I build my entire portfolio site without typing a single line of code? Like, zero. Not even a cheeky console.log.
The Rules: No Hands on the Keyboard
The rule was strict: no writing code. Not even to fix that rogue 1px misalignment that haunts designers in their sleep. It was a cold turkey challenge, the UX equivalent of using chopsticks for cereal.
My toolkit?
- Windsurf – the main build environment and spiritual guide
- Builder.io – layout wrangler and accidental mess generator
- ChatGPT and Gemini – developer sidekicks, over-eager interns, and occasional emotional punching bags
I played with others like Lovable and Bold, too, but that’s a whole other post. The tools I stuck with were primarily chosen because I already knew my way around them and because they fit the tech stack and vibe of the project I had in mind.
The Wow Factor: Speed Without the Setup
It’s wild how fast you can get something working. I built a playable version of Snake in just three prompts. (Okay, it took a few more to make it actually look and play the way I wanted. Perfectionist problems.) And yes, there’s a hidden game of Snake on the site. Because, of course, there is.
That kind of rapid output is addictive. For designers, the speed from idea to interaction is unlike anything we’ve had before. You skip the setup. Skip the boilerplate. Skip the existential dread of picking a framework. Just prompt and go.
It’s the kind of wow moment that makes you think: maybe the hype isn’t total nonsense.
The Reality Check: Where the Romance Fades
Here’s where the glow wears off.
These tools are great for early-stage play. Want to test an interaction? Try a layout? Share a vibe? Perfect. It’s a designer’s playground.
But when it comes to polish? That’s where things unravel. What should take ten minutes turns into a loop of tweaking, prompting, previewing, swearing, repeating.
You see the issue in the code. You know the fix. But instead of typing, you’re explaining it to an AI like trying to get a voice assistant to play the exact version of a song. It hears you. Sort of. Then plays the wrong thing, but with confidence.
And every one of those prompts costs tokens. Tools like Windsurf run on a usage model, so you’re literally paying to repeat yourself. Stack that up and it starts to feel… inefficient at best.
On a Side Note:
When you use these tools straight out of the box, without any real design input, everything starts to look the same.
Worse! Everything starts to feel the same. Functional, sure. But flat. Generic.
And when you do bring design into the mix, translating your intent feels less like collaboration and more like argument.
You say what you want, it nods, smiles, then builds something almost right… But also weirdly wrong. The flexibility exists, technically. It’s just buried under a pile of prompts, retries, and the quiet sound of your will to live evaporating.
To Be Honest, I cheated: The Dev Brain Never Logged Off
Did I type code? No.
Did I think in code? Constantly.
And that’s the trap. These tools give you the illusion of being done. But the guts? Often a hot mess. Bloated code, dodgy accessibility, weak SEO, broken semantics.
The code looked fine on the surface, but under the hood? It was a patchwork, shallow file structure with vague naming and just-enough-to-work logic. It wasn’t broken, but it was definitely brittle.
The kind of setup that gets you to ‘done’ quickly but punishes you later when you try to scale or refine it. The moment I tried to push for polish or add a bit of complexity, the cracks showed. Layouts started shifting, styles clashed, and suddenly, I was one prompt away from scrapping the whole thing and rebuilding it myself.
That’s why I spent a lot of time in dev-brain mode, asking:
- “Wouldn’t it be better if we set it up like…”
- “Will this blow up later?”
- “Why is this div nested like a Matryoshka doll?”
AI didn’t write the rules. I did. I just used it to draw inside the lines I set
So, Was It Worth It? (And What’s the Risk?)
Short answer? Yes – with caveats.
Overall, these tools are genuinely impressive for rapid ideas, use as a co-pilot, and testing concepts. They’re fast, flexible, and surprisingly powerful, especially when paired with someone who knows what they’re doing.
However, now I need to go back and fix a lot of bugs and code structure manually (I’m done with this experiment)
And here’s the part that deserves a louder disclaimer: if you’re building something real, something that handles data, scales with users, or touches customers, then skipping code doesn’t mean skipping responsibility.
Structure matters. Architecture matters. And security really matters. Trusting AI to make every technical decision is like handing your car keys to someone who’s great at reading maps but has never driven.
You see it all the time. Startups patching together a product only to hit a wall six months later. The early speed is seductive, but if no one checked under the hood, you’re often stuck rebuilding from scratch or untangling foundational problems.
That said, this shouldn’t scare designers away from these tools. Quite the opposite. I think most of us will be using them soon, whether for prototyping, validating ideas, or speeding up everyday work. Used smartly, they’re incredible co-pilots that help designers get unblocked and move fast. If you’ve got even a bit of technical fluency, they become 10x tools.
Just don’t fall for the “no code required” fantasy. Unless you’re doing it for fun (like me), thinking you can skip code entirely is like racing without checking your tyres. You can do it, but don’t be surprised when the ride gets bumpy.
Tips for Designers Vibe Coding
Whether you’re building your first prototype or testing a scrappy startup idea, these tools can be your best ally or your biggest time sink. So here are a few thoughts that kept coming up throughout the process:
1. Learn the foundations of coding
You don’t need to memorise syntax or master every language. But taking a crash course on code architecture. Even a short Udemy series on vibe coding can help you understand how things are meant to be built. File structure, naming conventions, component logic. It all adds up. And when AI gets weird (which it will), knowing the fundamentals will save you hours of frustration.
2. Use LLMs for strategic planning, not just debugging
Before you build anything, describe your product to ChatGPT or Gemini and ask them smart questions:
- What tech stack should I consider (and why)?
- What third-party tools or integrations might help?
- What are the key security concerns?
- How can we structure this to scale cleanly later?
LLMs are great architects if you treat them like consultants, not just prompt monkeys.
3. If you’re handling user data, prioritise security
Even if the build seems simple, make sure it’s safe. At a minimum, ask a developer to review your setup before launch. You don’t want to learn about encryption after someone finds a leak.
4. During the build, ask better questions
Throughout the process, keep checking:
- Is this scalable?
- Can it be more secure?
- Why are we building it this way?
- Are there alternative approaches?
Talk through your decisions, even if it’s with an AI. Treat every shortcut like a trade-off, not a freebie.
Let’s retire the line “build anything without code.”
It’s marketing fluff, not reality.
From a UX perspective, there’s real danger in no-code homogeny. The more we drag, drop, and duplicate, the more everything starts looking like it was designed by the same AI that curates stock photo libraries. If you care about originality, nuance, or crafting something with a pulse, you still need weird, thoughtful, opinionated people. Preferably the kind who get emotional about spacing tokens and have bookmarked six articles on button microcopy.
No-code tools aren’t the death of dev. They’re just a new chapter. A good one, but only if you know what story you’re trying to tell.