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Jen McFarland's avatar

I've finally found a groove with adding these instructions to the end of my vibe coding prompts when I'm testing something, or need something done:

Please examine these issues

Do not take action

Provide a safe, surgical implementation plan

Do not create new files that duplicate functionality

Ask me questions

Allow me time to ask questions

Took me until this week but it's really reduced burning through credits. Forces it to slow down.

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Kim Doyal's avatar

That is BRILLIANT! (#stealing)

I’ve been adding “do not edit, alter or change anything else.”

The other thing I remembered somewhat after the fact when I moved over to Mocha was the refactoring.

Lovable prompts you to refactor as you’re building - Mocha does not.

It’s now part of my workflow.

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Jen McFarland's avatar

OH! I also ask it which files it's changing. Stops the runaway train, too.

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Chanel Renee's avatar

Aww I wish I had seen your reply a hour ago. I just ran out of credits. I have been stuck in a diagnostic loop. I'm close to having it ready to go too.

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Jen McFarland's avatar

I feel you. What platform(s) are you using for vibe coding? I'm on Replit mostly, plus Claude and Cursor.

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Kim Doyal's avatar

I still have my lovable account, but downgraded (I have a good chunk of credits there - I also deleted a handful of Supabase connections because those were all additional charges 🙄.

I'm using Mocha (getmocha.com) and have had way less things break - until this week when I hit the issue with an app being stuck in loading).

I'm testing a couple of other ones - the tough part is they're all moving so fast I don't think the companies are able to keep up with support (I instantly feel like "WTF" when I have to join a Discord or Slack community for support).

But, like you said earlier - still worth it.

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Jen McFarland's avatar

I hadn't heard of Mocha. Looks interesting. I was seriously considering Base44, but I read Wix bought it, and now I'm like ROCK HARD PASS because I fear it won't be portable (since you can't migrate off of Wix). For now I'm sticking with Replit, but it's more the devil you know at this point.

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Chanel Renee's avatar

I love it here in the Wild Wild West, and like you enjoy vibe coding until the vibe crashes and burns. One day it works and then you go to bed smiling and then you wake up the next day and something new is broken. Like how?!? It worked yesterday. It's frustrating, but then on the other side of that frustration will soon be a completed app, one that I have already been told will be appreciated by designers like us. lol.

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Kim Doyal's avatar

Haha, yep. Me too.

As long as we get closer every day, I'm up for the challenge. If it weren't so much fun I might question my sanity! 😂

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Jen McFarland's avatar

Give me a blog post URL and I'll rewrite it for you. ... I'm in the HOME STRETCH

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Jen McFarland's avatar

I feel like vibe coding is intense emotional roller-coaster. Sometimes I'm at the highest of highs, and then I am so bummed out. Worth it.

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Kim Doyal's avatar

It really, really is! And yep... totally worth it!

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Lisa-Marie Cabrelli, Ph.D.'s avatar

I so look forward to reading The Spark!

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Bette A. Ludwig, PhD 🌱's avatar

Between the monthly subscriptions, credits, and time to learn these new tools, it's a lot of time and money to invest. And you need to play with these new shiny objects to determine if they are worth it to you. Never getting bored that's for sure! lol

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