5 Common Vibe Coding Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
Mistake #1: No Error Handling
The Problem:
AI-generated code often assumes everything works perfectly. No try-catch, no error states, no fallbacks.
The Fix:
```javascript
// Bad
const data = await fetch('/api/data').then(r => r.json());
// Good
try {
const res = await fetch('/api/data');
if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to fetch');
const data = await res.json();
} catch (error) {
console.error('Error:', error);
// Show user-friendly message
}
```
Mistake #2: Hardcoded Secrets
The Problem:
AI doesn't know about .env files. It often puts API keys directly in code.
The Fix:
Mistake #3: No Input Validation
The Problem:
AI trusts all user input. This leads to security vulnerabilities and crashes.
The Fix:
```javascript
// Bad
const userId = req.body.userId;
// Good
const userId = req.body.userId;
if (!userId || typeof userId !== 'string') {
return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid userId' });
}
```
Mistake #4: N+1 Database Queries
The Problem:
AI often writes code that makes one query per item instead of batching.
The Fix:
```javascript
// Bad - N+1 queries
for (const userId of userIds) {
const user = await db.users.findById(userId);
}
// Good - Single query
const users = await db.users.find({ _id: { $in: userIds } });
```
Mistake #5: No Loading States
The Problem:
AI forgets that APIs take time. Users see blank screens or broken UI.
The Fix:
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These are just the tip of the iceberg. We review vibe-coded projects daily and fix these issues (and many more).