There's a mode of working with AI that gets called "vibe coding" — where you describe what you want and let the model write the code. I've been running a more structured version of that experiment, and I want to log it here as it happens.
My previous work with AI — writing, research, even parts of Secret Stuff — was a partnership. I brought the code, the domain knowledge, the taste. AI brought speed and breadth. Call it 50/50.
“The question I'm now asking: can AI be the developer, while I stay in the seat of project lead and product owner?”
Not just a faster way to type. A fundamentally different division of labour.
Trial 01 — Checkpoint
Checkpoint is a Safari extension that PIN-gates websites. Small scope, well-defined problem, no novel algorithms. A good first trial.
I wrote the spec. I described the UX. I made every product decision. Claude Code wrote the extension — manifest, content script, popup, PIN hashing, session locking — top to bottom.
It worked. Shipped. The code is clean. I barely touched it.
“Verdict: at small scale, with a clear brief, AI as sole developer is not just viable — it's fast.”
Active Trials · In Progress
Two experiments running in parallel. Different domains, same question.
· Design — Claude Design · Programming — Claude CLI · Content review — Grok · UI tweaks from live testing — fast and clean · Each tool stays in its lane
· More friction than the website · Structure and file organisation had to be directed · Refactoring required explicit prompts · Native domain is less forgiving · Ventured back into the code
The contrast is the finding. Web iteration and native app development are not the same experiment.
“The gap between "AI can build it" and "AI knows when to clean it up" is where the human still lives.”
What I'm Watching For
- ✦Where does AI get confident but wrong — and can I catch it from the product seat?
- ✦What decisions genuinely require code-level understanding vs product judgment?
- ✦Does the quality hold at larger scale, or does it degrade without a developer in the loop?
- ✦What does the final ratio actually look like — is it still 50/50, or something closer to 10/90?
“The log continues. Go Nutz. — Walter Mak”