I was helping a friend build a simple inventory tracking system using vibe coding the other day
Everything looked perfect until we tried to run it with real data
The AI had generated code that technically worked but completely missed some basic validation checks
That experience got me thinking about how we verify vibe coded systems before they cause real problems
Verification and observation are the core of system success according to the Ten Principles of Vibe Coding
But what does that actually mean when you’re working with AI-generated code
First let’s talk about testing differently
Traditional testing often focuses on whether code matches specifications
With vibe coding you need to test whether the implementation actually solves the right problem
I’ve seen systems pass all their unit tests while still being completely useless for the actual business need
This happens because the AI might interpret your prompt literally without understanding the context
You need human verification at every major milestone
Another crucial aspect is security scanning
AI models trained on public code repositories can inadvertently reproduce security vulnerabilities they’ve seen before
Automated security tools are no longer optional they’re essential
Run them early and often
Then there’s the question of performance
AI might generate code that works perfectly with small datasets but falls apart when you scale up
Always test with realistic data volumes
Better yet test with slightly larger volumes than you expect to handle
Documentation becomes even more important with vibe coding
You need to keep track of what prompts you used what modifications you made and why
This creates an audit trail that helps when things go wrong
It also helps other team members understand your thinking
Code is capability intentions and interfaces are long-term assets as the principles remind us
Your prompts and specifications matter more than the generated code itself
Spend time refining them
Treat them like the valuable assets they are
One practice I’ve found incredibly useful is the red team approach
Have someone who wasn’t involved in the development try to break the system
They’ll find issues you never considered
This works because they approach the system with fresh eyes and different assumptions
Remember that verification isn’t just about finding bugs
It’s about building confidence in your system
Each successful verification step makes the system more reliable
Each failed verification teaches you something important about how to improve your prompts
The goal isn’t perfection
The goal is continuous improvement through careful verification
What verification strategies have you found most effective in your vibe coding projects