I was trying to build a simple fitness app the other day using vibe coding approaches you know just describing what I wanted in plain English and letting the AI handle the implementation
The vision seemed straightforward enough track workouts suggest exercises adapt to user progress all the standard stuff you would expect from a modern fitness application
But let me tell you something mobile development has this unique set of challenges that make vibe coding particularly tricky compared to web or backend development
First there is the whole performance constraint issue Mobile devices have limited processing power memory and battery life When you are vibe coding you are essentially trusting AI to make optimization decisions for you
Now I have seen AI generate some beautifully functional code but it does not always understand that on mobile every millisecond of processing time matters every megabyte of memory usage counts
The AI might create something that works perfectly in simulation but drains the users battery in twenty minutes or crashes when multiple apps are running in the background
Then there is the fragmentation problem Oh boy this one is a doozy
We are talking about different operating systems different screen sizes different hardware capabilities different versions of everything
When you are vibe coding you are essentially describing your intention once but that single intention needs to translate across dozens of different implementation contexts
The AI has to understand that what works for iOS might not work for Android what looks good on a tablet might be unusable on a phone screen
And lets not even get started on the whole app store approval process
You can have the most beautifully vibe coded app in the world but if it does not meet Apples guidelines or Googles policies you are dead in the water before you even start
I remember one project where the AI generated code that used a perfectly reasonable API call only to discover later that particular call was restricted on mobile platforms for security reasons
The intention was clear the implementation was elegant but the platform constraints made it impossible
This brings me to what I think is the most important principle in vibe coding for mobile Code is Capability Intentions and Interfaces are Long-term Assets
What matters is not the specific code the AI generates today but the clear intention you describe the interface specifications you define the performance requirements you set
The code itself might be disposable generated for this specific moment this specific platform this specific device but your intention your vision for what the app should do that is what has lasting value
Another huge challenge is testing and verification
On mobile you cannot just run your code and see if it works You need to test on actual devices simulate different network conditions account for interruptions like phone calls or notifications
Verification and Observation are the Core of System Success as they say in the principles
This becomes incredibly complex when AI is generating the code because you need to verify not just that the code works but that it works within the unique constraints of mobile environments
I have found myself spending more time setting up testing frameworks and observation tools than I do actually vibe coding the app itself
And then there is the user experience aspect
Mobile users have certain expectations about how apps should behave how interfaces should respond to touch how animations should feel
When you are vibe coding you are describing functionality but capturing that subtle feel that intuitive flow that makes a mobile app enjoyable to use that is incredibly difficult to convey through text alone
The AI might understand what you want the app to do but not how you want it to feel in the users hands
So where does this leave us
I am not saying vibe coding for mobile is impossible far from it I have seen some remarkable successes
But we need to approach it differently than we do for other platforms
We need to be more specific in our intentions more detailed in our constraints more thorough in our testing
We need to treat mobile vibe coding as a specialized skill that requires understanding both the power of AI and the unique challenges of mobile platforms
The future is still incredibly bright The ability to describe an app and have it come to life is nothing short of magical even with all these challenges
We just need to be smart about how we approach it learn from our mistakes and keep refining our techniques
After all is not that what vibe coding is all about continuous improvement through clear intention and intelligent adaptation