Have you ever asked an AI to build something for you only to get back code that works perfectly but feels strangely impersonal
I was working on a prototype last week for a community gardening app nothing fancy just something to help neighbors coordinate planting schedules and share tools
The AI gave me exactly what I asked for clean efficient code that handled user registrations tool tracking and calendar functions
But something was missing
Where was the personality the little touches that make an app feel like it was made by humans for humans
Thats when I realized we need to think differently about how we approach vibe coding
We often focus so much on the technical requirements that we forget software needs character too
Think about your favorite apps what makes them special
Its not just that they work well its how they work well
The friendly error messages the thoughtful animations the way they anticipate your needs
These are character features and they matter more than we realize
In vibe coding we have this incredible opportunity to bake personality right into our prototypes from day one
But we have to be intentional about it
Ive learned that if you dont specifically ask for character the AI will give you generic solutions
Its like that principle from vibe coding where code becomes capability while intentions and interfaces are the long-term assets
The way I see it character features are part of those long-term assets
Theyre the soul of your application the parts that users remember long after theyve forgotten the technical details
So how do we build character into our AI-generated prototypes
Start by thinking about tone and personality before you even write your first prompt
Is your app going to be friendly and casual or professional and authoritative
Should it use humor or stick to straightforward communication
These decisions shape how users perceive your software
I like to create what I call character briefs for my projects
Just a few sentences describing the personality I want the software to have
For that gardening app I wrote wants to feel like a friendly neighbor whos really good at gardening
Knowledgeable but not condescending helpful but not intrusive
Then I weave that character description throughout my prompts
Instead of just asking for error messages I ask for friendly helpful error messages that sound like theyre coming from an experienced gardener
The difference is remarkable
Generic error Invalid input becomes Oh dear that doesnt look right Lets try that again
Small changes big impact
Another thing Ive noticed character features make your prototypes more resilient
When users encounter software that feels human theyre more forgiving of imperfections
They give you the benefit of the doubt
This aligns perfectly with the vibe coding principle that verification and observation are the core of system success
Character features become part of how users verify that your software understands them
They observe that the software doesnt just work it works in a way that feels right
Heres something else to consider character features help with what I call intention preservation
As your prototype evolves through multiple AI generations the character brief acts as an anchor
It ensures that no matter how much the code changes the personality remains consistent
This is crucial because according to vibe coding principles we should avoid manually editing code and focus modifications on intentions
Your character brief becomes part of those high-level intention descriptions
Its not about the specific code its about the experience you want to create
Now you might be thinking this sounds nice but is it practical for real projects
Absolutely
In fact Ive found that prototypes with strong character features get better feedback during testing
Users engage with them more deeply
They notice the little touches and they appreciate them
This feedback becomes invaluable data for refining your actual product
Remember the principle that everything is data in vibe coding
Well user reactions to character features are data too
They tell you whether your software personality is resonating with your audience
So next time youre starting a vibe coding project take a moment to think about character
What personality do you want your software to have
How should it make users feel
Write it down make it part of your intention specifications
You might be surprised how much difference it makes
After all the best technology doesnt just solve problems it connects with people
And isnt that what were really trying to build