vibe coding checklist

Ai tools let you move fast. This checklist keeps you from shipping fast garbage.

before you commit

• read every line the ai wrote — no blind accepts
• run the code locally, not just “it compiled”
• check for hardcoded secrets, api keys, localhost urls
• verify imports exist and packages are in package.json
• remove console.logs and dead code the ai left behind

before you merge

• tests pass (or you wrote tests for the new behavior)
• no any types unless you can defend them
• error states handled — not just happy path
• loading and empty states exist in the ui
• mobile layout doesn’t break

before you ship

• env vars documented — nothing only works on your machine
• auth checked on every protected route
• rate limiting on public endpoints
• analytics or logging so you know when it breaks
• rollback plan — can you revert in under 5 minutes?

ai-specific checks

• prompts versioned in git, not scattered in code
• model output parsed as structured data where possible
• fallback when the model fails or times out
• cost per request measured — no surprise bills
• pii not sent to third-party models without consent

the rule

If you can’t explain what the code does line by line, it’s not ready to ship.