I’m a GP who’s built 10 apps without writing a line of code

Vibe coding. It’s a term that’s bubbling around to describe a new wave of app creation. It means instead of writing code line by line, you build software by describing what you want in plain language – and an AI agent generates the code for you.

Put simply: you describe the vibe of the app, and the AI starts building it for you.

This movement was popularised by Slovak-Canadian AI researcher Andrej Karpathy, who described English as “the hottest new programming language” in 2024.

The idea has since taken off across platforms like Replit, Cursor, and GitHub Copilot, where AI turns lay language prompts like ‘create a to-do list with a calendar’ into a working app.

As a GP, I was intrigued. Could this be a way for people like me – with lots of ideas but no coding background – to build their own digital tools?

It’s so empowering

As a non-coder, I used to see software development as the domain of Silicon Valley types hunched over glowing screens. But AI coding tools that allow people to code with plain language have lowered this barrier to entry.

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They do this in three key ways:

Plain language instructions: You describe what you want, for example, “add a share button here” or “make the panels blue with red checkboxes” and the AI writes the code. No convoluted coding language required.

Trial and error (and patience): The approach is to try something, test it, refine it and fix up any bits not working. I find it’s a bit like sculpting with digital clay, as the application gradually takes shape. Each app you work on, you learn a few new app design tricks.

Content experts as designer: Those with subject matter expertise – teachers, clinicians, creatives – can now build tools that truly match their needs.

This has been deeply satisfying for me. I’m not just using tech – I’m shaping it to fit the way I think and work as a GP. No endless to-ing and fro-ing with coders to refine the design.

So far, I’ve created apps for different corners of my life ranging from a tool that helps patients make a checklist before they visit a GP and another that allows GPs to compile and send health tips to their patient’s phones, to a platform that will check if the GP’s management plan fits with guidelines. 

While these help me professionally – my other adventures in coding have included a to-do list that suits how I work, and an app that helps footy novices fake their way through weekend chats.

Most of these were built in two or three days, by prompting and refining using Replit’s AI agent.

From passive consumer to digital creator

One of the biggest surprises? Not being a coder is an advantage.

In healthcare, we constantly refine workflows: the order of questions, how doctors navigate forms, finessing the style of information for patients. Unless you’ve worked as a GP, you can’t anticipate these subtle issues.

As a subject-matter expert, I can now build tools that are clinically useful – without having to outsource or lose the subtle contextual and workflow issues.

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Sure, I don’t fully understand the code under the hood. But by watching the AI’s responses, I’ve picked up the lingo: ‘remove padding’, ‘add home navigation button’, ‘set up user database’ and ‘add collapsible list’.

It’s like learning a new language through immersion.

And yes, things break. A lot. But debugging has become part of the fun – it’s problem-solving with a virtual assistant that never sleeps.

Oddly enough, I find myself saying “please” and “thank you” to the AI agent. It seems to help. (Though I have no peer-reviewed evidence to support that.)

There’s something powerful about switching from passively downloading apps to designing your own. I’ve unsubscribed from several third-party tools because I’ve built versions that suit me better.

It’s also changed how I interact with tech. I now find myself analysing the UX (user experience) of every app I touch – whether I’m booking flights or wrangling a government portal.

Once you’ve built your own, you start to notice what works and what doesn’t.

Even startups are shifting: a quarter of companies in Silicon Valley startup accelerator Y Combinator’s latest batch generated 95 per cent of their code via AI.

These tools aren’t just for hobbyists anymore – they’re becoming mainstream, even in new startup businesses.

Ideas, patience and surprises

Vibe coding isn’t just a quirky trend – it’s part of a broader movement to democratise software development.

If you’ve got ideas, content knowledge, or just curiosity – it’s absolutely worth giving it a try.

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The best part? You don’t need to be fluent in software programs like Python or JavaScript. You just need to know what you want – and have the patience to ask for it, again and again, until you iron out all the wrinkles on your new app.

At this point, I’ve got a suite of my own home-made apps on my phone and they’re getting more screen time than anything I’ve downloaded from the App Store.

So go on, give it a crack. You might just surprise yourself.