Abstract
Vibe coding feels great when working on a greenfield weekend side project alone, but it falls short when working with complex real-world systems. As AI coding assistants become more capable, we’re discovering that good engineering discipline matters more than ever.
That’s why new methodologies of AI-assisted development are emerging. The spec-driven approach is not shiny, it has a learning curve and forces you to think, reason, and requires deliberate collaboration between human and machine.
This approach brings proven engineering practices in the SDLC to write system which don’t explode in production. It’s not fun, but it’s the evolution we need to work with AI agents at scale in a mature industry.