How to Start Vibe Coding Using Perplexity

Imagine building a fully functional app without writing a single line of code—just by describing what you want in plain English. Welcome to the world of vibe coding, a revolutionary approach that leverages AI to transform your ideas into working software. With tools like Perplexity AI, even those without a traditional coding background can bring their digital visions to life.

I’m Riten, founder of Fueler—a platform that empowers freelancers and professionals to showcase their skills through work samples. In this article, I’ll guide you through the process of vibe coding using Perplexity AI. While mastering in-demand skills is crucial, presenting your work effectively is equally important. Your portfolio isn't just a collection of projects; it's your proof of skill, your credibility, and your shortcut to trust.

Why Choose Perplexity AI for Vibe Coding?

Perplexity AI is an AI-powered answer engine that excels in providing accurate, real-time responses to user queries. It's particularly adept at assisting with coding tasks, making it an excellent tool for vibe coding.

Advantages of Using Perplexity AI:

• Real-Time Information Retrieval: Access up-to-date information and code snippets quickly.
• Educational Approach: Provides detailed explanations, making it ideal for learners.
• User-Friendly Interface: Simple and intuitive, suitable for users at all levels.
• Versatility: Supports various programming languages and frameworks.

1. Define Your Project Idea Clearly

Before you even open Perplexity AI, take a moment to sit down and think about what you want to build. The more specific and structured your idea, the better the output you'll get from the AI. Remember, the AI can’t read your mind — it only understands what you tell it.

Think of it like describing a dream app or website to a friend. What does it do? Who uses it? What features should it have?

What to Include in Your Idea:

• What type of app/website are you building? (e.g., To-do list, portfolio site, calculator)
• What should the user be able to do? (e.g., add tasks, see analytics, upload files)
• How should it look or feel? (optional — helps with frontend)
• Are there any specific technologies you want to use? (React, HTML/CSS, Python, etc.)

Example Prompt:

"I want to create a basic note-taking web app where users can write, edit, delete, and search notes. Each note should have a title, content section, and timestamp. The data should be stored locally in the browser using localStorage."

This level of clarity helps Perplexity give you focused, usable code.

2. Feed the Prompt into Perplexity AI

Once your idea is ready, visit www.perplexity.ai. This is where the magic starts. Type your full project idea into the prompt box. Perplexity uses real-time data and understands context deeply, so the clearer your input, the better your output.

Tips to Make the Prompt Work Like Magic:

• Be specific, not vague.
• Use complete sentences. Avoid one-liners.
• Mention tools or languages (e.g., “in React” or “using Flask”).
• You can also break it into steps if your project is big.

Example:

"Give me HTML and JavaScript code for a landing page that has a navigation bar, a hero section with a background image, and a contact form at the bottom. I want the layout to be responsive."

Once you submit, Perplexity will respond with neatly formatted code, often with comments to explain each section. You can also ask follow-up questions like:

“Can you add a dark mode toggle?”

“Now turn this into a React app.”

This iterative conversation makes Perplexity feel like an intelligent coding partner.

3. Understand and Review the AI-Generated Code

Perplexity gives you ready-to-use code — but don't just copy and paste it blindly. Take a few minutes to understand what it gave you. Learning how the code works is important for improving your skills and fixing future bugs.

How to Review AI Output Properly:

• Read the code comments: Most responses include helpful comments explaining each part.
• Run the code in a simple environment like CodePen, JSFiddle, or your IDE.
• Look for errors or broken sections: AI might miss a closing tag or syntax detail.
• Google any terms you don’t understand: This builds your knowledge over time.

💡 Pro tip: Ask Perplexity to explain the code to you step-by-step. Try prompts like:

"Explain this JavaScript code in simple terms."

4. Test the Code in Real Environments

Now that you have the code, it’s time to see it come to life! This is the most fun (and sometimes frustrating) part of vibe coding. Set up a local project folder, or use tools like Replit, CodeSandbox, or VS Code to test everything.

Checklist to Follow While Testing:

• Run the code and interact with the UI (if it’s frontend).
• Check the console for JavaScript or Python errors.
• Make sure the app does what you asked for in the prompt.
• Test on mobile if it’s a website — is it responsive?
• Refresh the app and see if data is saved properly.

Testing also reveals any small bugs, logic flaws, or user experience issues you might have missed during planning.

5. Refine the Code through Follow-Up Prompts

No project is perfect in the first try — and that’s totally okay! After testing, you’ll likely find improvements or changes you want to make. This is where Perplexity’s conversational interface becomes incredibly useful.

You can go back and refine any part of your code just by asking.

Smart Follow-up Prompts to Use:

• “Add animations to the buttons when clicked.”
• “Make the form send data to Google Sheets.”
• “Turn this into a mobile-first layout using CSS Flexbox.”
• “Add a loading spinner when the app starts.”

Perplexity will often rewrite only the parts you ask about, which saves time. You can even ask for code optimization, bug fixes, or alternative ways of doing things.

6. Organize Your Project Files and Document Everything

Once your project works, don’t forget to organize it properly and write some documentation. This is especially important if you plan to share it with others, put it in your portfolio, or return to it later.

Documentation shows you're professional and thoughtful — two things companies look for in hires.

What to Include in Your Docs:

• README.md with a summary of the project
• How to run the code
• Features and tools used
• Credits if you used external resources or libraries
• Any known bugs or areas for future improvement

Version control tools like Git and platforms like GitHub make this easy and add credibility to your project.

7. Showcase Your Project on Fueler

After putting in all the work, it’s time to get noticed.

Upload your project on Fueler.io — a portfolio platform I built to help people like you showcase your work and get hired through what they’ve actually built. Fueler isn’t just another profile site. It’s where companies go to find talent based on real skills.

Why Post on Fueler:

• Build your portfolio without needing a personal website
• Use SEO-friendly project titles and tags
• Share your project with potential clients/employers directly
• Get noticed by companies hiring based on assignments, not resumes

When someone sees your vibe-coded to-do app, they’ll know you're resourceful, updated with AI trends, and capable of building independently — and that’s exactly what hiring managers want in 2025.

Final Thought

Vibe Coding with Perplexity isn’t just a trend — it’s the beginning of a new way to build, learn, and grow in tech. You no longer need to wait until you’re a “pro developer” to start shipping projects. With tools like Perplexity, anyone with an idea can turn it into working code — fast.

But here’s the real game-changer: ideas alone don’t get you hired — proof of execution does. That’s why I built Fueler — to help you take your AI-assisted projects and turn them into real-world proof of skill. Whether it’s a landing page you built in an evening or a full-stack app you collaborated on with Perplexity, what matters is that you did the work.

The future of freelancing and tech hiring belongs to self-starters who don’t wait for permission. So stop waiting. Open Perplexity, describe your idea, and start building your next portfolio-worthy project.

The best time to start? Yesterday. The second-best time? Right now.

FAQs

1. What is vibe coding?

Vibe coding is an AI-assisted approach to software development where you describe your desired functionality in natural language, and an AI model generates the corresponding code.

2. How does Perplexity AI assist in vibe coding?

Perplexity AI interprets your natural language prompts and generates relevant code snippets, providing explanations and facilitating iterative development.

3. Do I need coding experience to use vibe coding?

While some basic understanding of programming concepts is helpful, vibe coding is designed to be accessible to individuals with varying levels of coding experience.

4. Can I use vibe coding for complex projects?

Vibe coding is best suited for prototyping and simpler projects. For more complex applications, it can serve as a starting point, but additional development and refinement will be necessary.

5. How can I showcase my vibe coding projects to potential employers?

Platforms like Fueler allow you to create a professional portfolio, displaying your projects and demonstrating your skills to potential employers or clients.

What is Fueler Portfolio?

Fueler is a career portfolio platform that helps companies find the best talents for their organization based on their proof of work.

You can create your portfolio on Fueler, thousands of freelancers around the world use Fueler to create their professional-looking portfolios and become financially independent. Discover inspiration for your portfolio

Sign up for free on Fueler or get in touch to learn more.