Before any tool, install the right mental model. Everything else is detail.
Concepts
What "AI coding" actually is
You describe what you want in plain English; an AI writes the code; you run it, look at the result, and refine. The AI is fast and knows a lot of syntax. It is not psychic, it is not always right, and it will state wrong things confidently.
"Vibe coding" — define it honestly
"Vibe coding" = building by describing vibes and iterating on what comes out, without necessarily reading the code. It's a real, powerful way to start — and a terrible way to stay.
- What it's great for: getting unstuck, prototyping fast, learning by seeing working examples, removing the blank-page fear.
- Where it bites you: the moment something breaks, you can't fix what you don't understand. Vibe-only coders hit a wall and can't climb it.
- The deal we make in this class: We vibe to move fast, but we always read what the AI wrote. You don't have to write every line. You do have to be able to point at any line and say roughly what it does.
The analogy that sticks
You're the director. Claude is a fast, talented film crew that's never seen your script. It can build any set you describe — but if you say "make it cooler," you'll get something, just maybe not your movie. Good directors are specific. And good directors watch the footage.
The one non-negotiable habit
After every AI change, ask: "What did you just change, and why?" Claude Code will explain it. Reading those explanations is the course. That's how beginners turn into people who can actually build.
Talking points
Slide-ready:
- AI writes the code; you decide what to build and check that it's right.
- Vibe coding gets you moving; reading the code keeps you moving.
- You're the director, not the audience.
- Every change: "what did you change and why?"
- Confidently wrong is still wrong — verify by running it.