'It was like magic': how 4 people with no coding background used AI to build apps

In an inspiring tale of creativity and determination, four individuals without coding backgrounds have harnessed the power of AI to develop their own applications. Their stories reveal how vibe coding is transforming the landscape for non-technical creators, allowing them to turn their visions into reality. Cynthia Chen, a product designer from San Francisco, always envisioned an app to catalog dogs she spotted. In her spare time over a couple of months, she successfully developed Dog-e-dex, an iOS app that enables users to take photos of dogs, identify their breeds, and save their profiles. Despite lacking formal engineering training, Chen utilized platforms such as Replit, ChatGPT, and Cursor. Her breakthrough came when she began using Anthropic's Claude, which simplified the coding process for her. "Every time I pressed the preview button, it felt like magic," she expressed, emphasizing the need for patience and intentionality when working with AI. Karima Williams, a Maryland-based mother, found solace in AI during emotionally challenging times. She used Claude to process her feelings and ultimately created a web app to help others manage their emotions. Williams discovered that instructing Claude in simple terms, akin to speaking to a child, made the coding process more effective. She often dictated her thoughts to the AI, stating that this approach was far easier than typing. Wei Khjan Chan, an accountant from Malaysia, embraced vibe coding to enhance his professional capabilities. After attending coding workshops, he developed a web application that streamlines the expense claim process by employing AI-powered optical character recognition. Chan learned to approach tasks incrementally, noting that small adjustments in prompts lead to better results. He often dedicates time to coding after his children go to bed, likening the experience to playing a game. Lastly, Laura Zaccaria, a new mother from Singapore, took a coding class during maternity leave and created a family meal planner. She found that learning vibe coding not only boosted her confidence but also allowed her to balance her roles as a mother and a professional. Zaccaria acknowledged that sometimes it was necessary to reset the AI conversation when she encountered hurdles, emphasizing the importance of clear communication. These four individuals have demonstrated that with the right tools and mindset, anyone can bring their ideas to life through AI, regardless of their background in coding.