The beginning of a software development project can feel paradoxical. You’re making foundational decisions that will shape the entire architecture, but there might be little visible output to show for it. That contrast is disorienting, especially when stakeholders are eager to see signs of progress. The work we’re doing is critical—setting up repos, configuring CI/CD, writing the first tests—but from the outside, it doesn’t look like much. That’s where vibe coding comes in.
Vibe Coding for Early Momentum
Vibe coding is utilizing AI code companions like Cursor for quick, intentionally scrappy coding to get something visually impressive and user-facing. It’s not about production readiness; it’s about creating a visible interface, generating feedback, and building shared understanding. Putting something interactive in front of a client early, even if it’s just a placeholder, can ground abstract conversations and help shape direction. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, we’re investing in infrastructure that will support us through pivots, complexity, and scale. Both sides of the work matter, but only one shows up in a demo.
Test Foundations That Enable Iteration
To make this balance sustainable, a good testing foundation is key. Can we “move fast and break things” with less of the breaking part? Scenario builders help – test utilities that abstract away the repetitive setup logic you need across test cases. Snapshot tests are another MVP. On a recent project, our team implemented a suite of data translations, tied to business rules that we were still learning (and still are learning). We regularly find edge cases months later that we missed the first time around. Because we invested in snapshot testing early, we’ve been able to iterate safely—refining logic without reintroducing bugs or creating regressions.
Leverage IDE Tooling
Another unsung hero of velocity is IDE tooling. It’s easy to chase the latest AI-driven helper, but sometimes the best accelerators are already baked into your development environment. JetBrains file templates, live templates, and custom run configurations are tools that can standardize setup, reduce repetitive code, and keep teams aligned without extra meetings or docs. My coworker, Brian May, introduced file templates to our team. That instantly replaced an annoying and frequent file setup process with a right-click. Don’t underestimate how much cognitive load these small wins can save across a project!
Consulting with Intentional Velocity
Early-stage project work is delicate. All the code you are writing is, in turn, shaping that project’s long-term success. That includes writing code that might get thrown away, setting up systems that won’t get appreciated until later, and making trade-offs between momentum and robustness. Good consulting isn’t about skipping the hard stuff in favor of the flashy stuff; it’s about clearing the path to it. Use the abundance of evolving tools to reach the wants and put your energy toward the needs. If we can launch with both visibility and intentionality, we give our teams the best possible chance to do their best work.