You don't need to write code to vibe code. But you should be able to read it — at least a little bit. Not to become a programmer, but to understand what the AI built, spot obvious problems, and make smarter requests.
Today you'll learn to read AI-generated code without fear.
HTML reads like English. Look at this:
```
<h1>Welcome to My Site</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph about my work.</p>
<button>Contact Me</button>
```
You already know what that does. A heading, a paragraph, a button. Code isn't a foreign language — it's structured English with extra punctuation.
CSS reads like instructions:
```
color: blue;
font-size: 24px;
background: #1a1a2e;
```
Color is blue. Font size is 24 pixels. Background is a dark color. You can read this.
When AI builds a project, it creates files organized in a predictable way:
index.html (or page.tsx, index.js) — the main page. This is what people see first.
styles.css (or globals.css) — the design rules. Colors, fonts, spacing, layout.
components/ — reusable pieces. A navbar, a button, a card. Each component is its own file.
public/ — static files like images, icons, and fonts.
package.json — the project's "recipe card." Lists what tools and libraries the project uses.
You don't need to understand every file. Just knowing which file does what lets you tell the AI where to make changes.
You don't need to understand every line. Use these strategies:
Read the file names. `PricingTable.tsx` probably contains the pricing table. `useAuth.ts` probably handles authentication. Good code names things clearly.
Read the comments. AI-generated code often includes comments explaining what each section does. Look for lines starting with `//` or `/ /`.
Look for familiar words. Even inside complex code, you'll see words like `button`, `title`, `email`, `price`, `user`. These tell you what that section is about.
Search for text you can see. If the page says "Get Started Free" and you want to change it, search the code for that exact phrase. You'll find exactly where to change it.
Here's a practical rule:
Just ask the AI when you want to change something and don't care how it works. "Move the pricing section above the testimonials." Done.
Read the code when something isn't working and you need to understand why. Or when the AI keeps misunderstanding your request and you want to point it to the exact file and line.
Copy and paste code into the AI when you want to explain what you're seeing. "This code is supposed to show a modal when I click the button, but nothing happens. Here's the component: [paste code]."
Most of the time, you'll just ask. But the ability to read code is your safety net — it keeps you in control.
Look at what you've covered in just seven days:
Day 1 — You learned what vibe coding is and why it matters
Day 2 — You explored the AI coding toolkit — editors and app builders
Day 3 — You understood how AI generates code and why context matters
Day 4 — You set up your environment — Cursor and Bolt ready to go
Day 5 — You built your first real project from a prompt
Day 6 — You learned the SPEC framework for writing effective prompts
Day 7 — You learned to read AI-generated code without fear
You're not a passive consumer anymore. You know how the tools work, how to communicate with them, and how to understand what they build. Starting tomorrow, you'll use all of this to build increasingly ambitious projects.