1 
2**Vibecoding** is a new software development paradigm where the programmer guides an AI agent through natural language instructions, letting the artificial intelligence write the actual code. The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy (OpenAI co-founder and former Director of AI at Tesla) in a famous tweet from February 2025: _"There's a new kind of coding I call vibecoding, where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace the exponentials, and forget that the code even exists."_
3 
4In this article, we'll see how to build a complete, working demo using **Claude Code** as an AI agent, **Supabase** as a backend (database, authentication, API), and **Vercel** for deployment  -  all leveraging exclusively the **free tiers** of these services.
5 
6## 1. What Is Vibecoding and Why It's Revolutionary
7 
8Vibecoding represents a fundamental paradigm shift in software development. Instead of writing code line by line, the developer:
9 
101. **Describes** what they want in natural language.
112. **The AI agent** generates the complete code.
123. **The developer** reviews, tests, and iterates.
13 
14### Why It Works
15 
16- **Speed**: a project that would take days can be built in hours.
17- **Accessibility**: even non-expert developers can build working products.
18- **Rapid iteration**: you can test ideas and pivot much faster.
19- **Product focus**: you concentrate on the _what_ instead of the _how_.
20 
21```mermaid
22flowchart LR
23    A[Idea] --> B[Natural language prompt]
24    B --> C[Claude Code generates code]
25    C --> D[Review and test]
26    D --> E[Iteration]
27    E --> B
28    D --> F[Deploy to Vercel]
29```
30 
31### When to Use Vibecoding
32 
33Vibecoding is perfect for:
34 
35- **Demos and MVPs**: quickly building a prototype to validate an idea.
36- **Hackathons**: creating a working product in just a few hours.
37- **Side projects**: exploring new technologies without investing weeks.
38- **Proof of Concept**: demonstrating technical feasibility to stakeholders or investors.
39 
40> **Warning:** Vibecoding is excellent for demos and prototypes. For production-grade applications with high security and scalability requirements, a thorough review of the generated code is still essential.
41 
42## 2. The Tech Stack: Claude Code + Supabase + Vercel
43 
44### Claude Code
45 
46Claude Code is Anthropic's AI coding agent. It works directly in your terminal and can:
47 
48- Read and understand the entire codebase.
49- Create, modify, and delete files.
50- Execute terminal commands.
51- Interact with APIs and external services.
52- Manage versioning with Git.
53- Autonomously iterate on errors and bugs.
54 
55```bash
56# Install Claude Code
57npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
58 
59# Start in a project directory
60cd my-project
61claude
62```
63 
64### Supabase (Free Tier)
65 
66Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative that offers:
67 
68- **PostgreSQL Database**: a complete relational database.
69- **Authentication**: login with email, Google, GitHub, etc.
70- **REST and Realtime APIs**: automatically generated from your schema.
71- **Storage**: for files and images.
72- **Edge Functions**: serverless functions.
73 
74The free tier includes:
75 
76| Resource | Free Limit |
77|----------|-----------|
78| Database | 500 MB |
79| Storage | 1 GB |
80| Bandwidth | 5 GB |
81| Edge Function invocations | 500K/month |
82| Authenticated users | Unlimited |
83| Projects | 2 active projects |
84 
85### Vercel (Free Tier)
86 
87Vercel is the perfect deployment platform for Next.js applications:
88 
89- **Automatic deployment** from GitHub.
90- **Preview deployments** for every branch and PR.
91- **Global CDN** for optimal performance.
92- **Serverless Functions** included.
93- **Basic analytics** for free.
94 
95The free tier includes:
96 
97| Resource | Free Limit |
98|----------|-----------|
99| Bandwidth | 100 GB/month |
100| Serverless Function execution | 100 GB-hours/month |
101| Builds | 6,000 minutes/month |
102| Projects | Unlimited |
103| Deployments | Unlimited |
104 
105## 3. Initial Setup: Preparing the Environment
106 
107### Prerequisites
108 
109Before starting, make sure you have:
110 
111- **Node.js 18+** installed.
112- **Git** configured.
113- A **GitHub** account.
114- A **Supabase** account (free at [supabase.com](https://supabase.com)).
115- A **Vercel** account (free at [vercel.com](https://vercel.com)).
116- **Claude Code** installed (`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`).
117 
118### Step 1: Create the Project
119 
120Open the terminal and start Claude Code:
121 
122```bash
123mkdir my-demo-app && cd my-demo-app
124claude
125```
126 
127Now you can start giving Claude Code instructions in natural language:
128 
129```
130You: Create a Next.js 15 project with App Router, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS,
131and shadcn/ui. Also initialize a Git repository.
132```
133 
134Claude Code will automatically execute:
135 
136```bash
137npx create-next-app@latest . --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app --src-dir
138npx shadcn@latest init
139git init && git add . && git commit -m "Initial commit"
140```
141 
142### Step 2: Configure Supabase
143 
1441. Go to [supabase.com](https://supabase.com) and create a new project.
1452. Note the **Project URL** and **anon key** from Settings > API.
1463. Go back to the terminal with Claude Code:
147 
148```
149You: Add Supabase to the project. Create a .env.local file with the variables
150NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL and NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY. Configure the
151Supabase client with SSR support for Next.js App Router.
152```
153 
154Claude Code will create the complete configuration:
155 
156```typescript
157// src/lib/supabase/client.ts
158import { createBrowserClient } from '@supabase/ssr';
159 
160export function createClient() {
161  return createBrowserClient(
162    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL!,
163    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY!
164  );
165}
166```
167 
168```typescript
169// src/lib/supabase/server.ts
170import { createServerClient } from '@supabase/ssr';
171import { cookies } from 'next/headers';
172 
173export async function createClient() {
174  const cookieStore = await cookies();
175 
176  return createServerClient(
177    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL!,
178    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY!,
179    {
180      cookies: {
181        getAll() {
182          return cookieStore.getAll();
183        },
184        setAll(cookiesToSet) {
185          cookiesToSet.forEach(({ name, value, options }) =>
186            cookieStore.set(name, value, options)
187          );
188        },
189      },
190    }
191  );
192}
193```
194 
195## 4. Building the Demo: A Task Management App
196 
197Let's build a concrete demo: a **task management app** with authentication, full CRUD, and a modern interface.
198 
199### Define the Database Schema
200 
201Give Claude Code instructions to create the schema:
202 
203```
204You: Create a SQL migration for Supabase with the following tables:
205 
2061. profiles: id (uuid, FK to auth.users), username (text), avatar_url (text),
207   created_at
2082. projects: id (uuid), name (text), description (text), owner_id (uuid, FK
209   to profiles), created_at
2103. tasks: id (uuid), title (text), description (text), status (enum:
211   todo/in_progress/done), priority (enum: low/medium/high), project_id (uuid,
212   FK to projects), assigned_to (uuid, FK to profiles), due_date (timestamp),
213   created_at, updated_at
214 
215Enable Row Level Security on all tables and create appropriate policies.
216```
217 
218Claude Code will generate a complete migration:
219 
220```sql
221-- Create enum types
222CREATE TYPE task_status AS ENUM ('todo', 'in_progress', 'done');
223CREATE TYPE task_priority AS ENUM ('low', 'medium', 'high');
224 
225-- Profiles table
226CREATE TABLE profiles (
227  id UUID REFERENCES auth.users ON DELETE CASCADE PRIMARY KEY,
228  username TEXT UNIQUE,
229  avatar_url TEXT,
230  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NOW()
231);
232 
233-- Projects table
234CREATE TABLE projects (
235  id UUID DEFAULT gen_random_uuid() PRIMARY KEY,
236  name TEXT NOT NULL,
237  description TEXT,
238  owner_id UUID REFERENCES profiles(id) ON DELETE CASCADE NOT NULL,
239  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NOW()
240);
241 
242-- Tasks table
243CREATE TABLE tasks (
244  id UUID DEFAULT gen_random_uuid() PRIMARY KEY,
245  title TEXT NOT NULL,
246  description TEXT,
247  status task_status DEFAULT 'todo',
248  priority task_priority DEFAULT 'medium',
249  project_id UUID REFERENCES projects(id) ON DELETE CASCADE NOT NULL,
250  assigned_to UUID REFERENCES profiles(id),
251  due_date TIMESTAMPTZ,
252  created_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NOW(),
253  updated_at TIMESTAMPTZ DEFAULT NOW()
254);
255 
256-- Enable RLS
257ALTER TABLE profiles ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
258ALTER TABLE projects ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
259ALTER TABLE tasks ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
260 
261-- Profiles policies
262CREATE POLICY "Users can view own profile"
263  ON profiles FOR SELECT USING (auth.uid() = id);
264CREATE POLICY "Users can update own profile"
265  ON profiles FOR UPDATE USING (auth.uid() = id);
266 
267-- Projects policies
268CREATE POLICY "Users can view own projects"
269  ON projects FOR SELECT USING (auth.uid() = owner_id);
270CREATE POLICY "Users can create projects"
271  ON projects FOR INSERT WITH CHECK (auth.uid() = owner_id);
272CREATE POLICY "Users can update own projects"
273  ON projects FOR UPDATE USING (auth.uid() = owner_id);
274CREATE POLICY "Users can delete own projects"
275  ON projects FOR DELETE USING (auth.uid() = owner_id);
276 
277-- Tasks policies
278CREATE POLICY "Users can view tasks in their projects"
279  ON tasks FOR SELECT USING (
280    project_id IN (SELECT id FROM projects WHERE owner_id = auth.uid())
281  );
282CREATE POLICY "Users can create tasks in their projects"
283  ON tasks FOR INSERT WITH CHECK (
284    project_id IN (SELECT id FROM projects WHERE owner_id = auth.uid())
285  );
286CREATE POLICY "Users can update tasks in their projects"
287  ON tasks FOR UPDATE USING (
288    project_id IN (SELECT id FROM projects WHERE owner_id = auth.uid())
289  );
290CREATE POLICY "Users can delete tasks in their projects"
291  ON tasks FOR DELETE USING (
292    project_id IN (SELECT id FROM projects WHERE owner_id = auth.uid())
293  );
294```
295 
296You can run this migration directly from the Supabase dashboard (SQL Editor) or via the CLI.
297 
298### Generate TypeScript Types
299 
300```
301You: Generate TypeScript types from the Supabase database and save them to src/types/database.ts
302```
303 
304```bash
305npx supabase gen types typescript --project-id YOUR_PROJECT_ID > src/types/database.ts
306```
307 
308### Build the User Interface
309 
310Now comes the most powerful part of vibecoding. Give Claude Code high-level instructions:
311 
312```
313You: Create a dashboard page for the task management app with:
314 
3151. Sidebar with navigation between projects
3162. Kanban view with 3 columns (Todo, In Progress, Done) with drag & drop
3173. Modal to create/edit tasks
3184. Header with user avatar and logout
3195. Modern design with shadcn/ui and Tailwind
320 
321Use data from Supabase with React Server Components where possible
322and Client Components only where interactivity is needed.
323```
324 
325Claude Code will build the entire interface, component by component.
326 
327### Add Authentication
328 
329```
330You: Add a complete authentication system with:
331 
3321. Login page with email/password and GitHub login
3332. Registration page
3343. Middleware to protect authenticated routes
3354. Automatic redirect for unauthenticated users
3365. Automatic profile creation after registration
337```
338 
339Claude Code will configure Next.js middleware and auth pages:
340 
341```typescript
342// src/middleware.ts
343import { createServerClient } from '@supabase/ssr';
344import { NextResponse, type NextRequest } from 'next/server';
345 
346export async function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
347  let supabaseResponse = NextResponse.next({ request });
348 
349  const supabase = createServerClient(
350    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL!,
351    process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY!,
352    {
353      cookies: {
354        getAll() {
355          return request.cookies.getAll();
356        },
357        setAll(cookiesToSet) {
358          cookiesToSet.forEach(({ name, value }) =>
359            request.cookies.set(name, value)
360          );
361          supabaseResponse = NextResponse.next({ request });
362          cookiesToSet.forEach(({ name, value, options }) =>
363            supabaseResponse.cookies.set(name, value, options)
364          );
365        },
366      },
367    }
368  );
369 
370  const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
371 
372  if (!user && !request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/auth')) {
373    const url = request.nextUrl.clone();
374    url.pathname = '/auth/login';
375    return NextResponse.redirect(url);
376  }
377 
378  return supabaseResponse;
379}
380 
381export const config = {
382  matcher: ['/((?!_next/static|_next/image|favicon.ico|auth).*)'],
383};
384```
385 
386## 5. Advanced Vibecoding Patterns
387 
388### Iterative Prompting
389 
390The secret to effective vibecoding is **iteration**. Don't try to describe everything in a single prompt. Proceed in steps:
391 
392```
393Step 1: "Create the base layout with header and sidebar"
394Step 2: "Add the project list in the sidebar with a button to create new ones"
395Step 3: "Create the Kanban view in the main area"
396Step 4: "Add drag & drop between columns"
397Step 5: "Implement the modal to create new tasks"
398Step 6: "Add toast notifications for user feedback"
399```
400 
401> **Tip:** The more specific and contextualized the prompt, the better the result. Claude Code has access to the entire codebase, so it can integrate new features coherently.
402 
403### Error Handling
404 
405When something doesn't work (and it will), you can simply say:
406 
407```
408You: I'm getting this error in the console: "TypeError: Cannot read property
409'map' of undefined" in the TaskList component. Fix it.
410```
411 
412Claude Code will analyze the code, identify the problem, and fix it.
413 
414### Refactoring with AI
415 
416```
417You: The Dashboard component has become too large. Split it into smaller,
418reusable components while maintaining the same functionality.
419```
420 
421### Testing
422 
423```
424You: Add tests with Vitest for utility functions and Playwright tests for
425the authentication and task creation flow.
426```
427 
428## 6. Deploy to Vercel: From Code to the World
429 
430### Step 1: Push to GitHub
431 
432```
433You: Create an appropriate .gitignore, commit everything, and push to a new
434GitHub repository called "my-demo-app".
435```
436 
437```bash
438git add .
439git commit -m "feat: complete task management demo"
440gh repo create my-demo-app --public --push --source=.
441```
442 
443### Step 2: Connect Vercel
444 
4451. Go to [vercel.com](https://vercel.com) and click "Add New Project."
4462. Import the GitHub repository you just created.
4473. Add environment variables:
448   - `NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL`
449   - `NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY`
4504. Click "Deploy."
451 
452```mermaid
453flowchart LR
454    A[GitHub Push] --> B[Vercel Build]
455    B --> C[Automatic Deploy]
456    C --> D[Public URL]
457    D --> E[Global CDN]
458```
459 
460### Step 3: Configure a Custom Domain (Optional)
461 
462Vercel provides a free URL like `my-demo-app.vercel.app`. For a custom domain:
463 
464```
465You: Add the configuration for a custom domain in vercel.json
466```
467 
468### Preview Deployments
469 
470Every time you open a Pull Request on GitHub, Vercel will automatically create a **preview deployment** with a unique URL. Perfect for showing changes before merging.
471 
472## 7. Optimizations for Your Demo
473 
474### Performance
475 
476```
477You: Optimize the app's performance:
4781. Add loading states with Suspense and skeletons
4792. Implement caching with Next.js unstable_cache
4803. Optimize images with next/image
4814. Add SEO metadata for each page
482```
483 
484### Realtime with Supabase
485 
486A feature that always impresses in demos is **realtime**:
487 
488```
489You: Add realtime synchronization for tasks using Supabase Realtime.
490When a user updates a task, all other users should see the change
491in real time without refreshing.
492```
493 
494```typescript
495'use client';
496 
497import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
498import { createClient } from '@/lib/supabase/client';
499import type { Task } from '@/types/database';
500 
501export function useRealtimeTasks(projectId: string) {
502  const [tasks, setTasks] = useState<Task[]>([]);
503  const supabase = createClient();
504 
505  useEffect(() => {
506    const channel = supabase
507      .channel('tasks-changes')
508      .on(
509        'postgres_changes',
510        {
511          event: '*',
512          schema: 'public',
513          table: 'tasks',
514          filter: `project_id=eq.${projectId}`,
515        },
516        (payload) => {
517          if (payload.eventType === 'INSERT') {
518            setTasks((prev) => [...prev, payload.new as Task]);
519          } else if (payload.eventType === 'UPDATE') {
520            setTasks((prev) =>
521              prev.map((t) =>
522                t.id === payload.new.id ? (payload.new as Task) : t
523              )
524            );
525          } else if (payload.eventType === 'DELETE') {
526            setTasks((prev) =>
527              prev.filter((t) => t.id !== payload.old.id)
528            );
529          }
530        }
531      )
532      .subscribe();
533 
534    return () => {
535      supabase.removeChannel(channel);
536    };
537  }, [projectId, supabase]);
538 
539  return tasks;
540}
541```
542 
543### Dark Mode
544 
545```
546You: Add dark mode support with a toggle in the header.
547Use Tailwind dark classes and save the preference in localStorage.
548```
549 
550## 8. Best Practices for Effective Vibecoding
551 
552### 1. Be Specific in Your Prompts
553 
554```
555❌ "Make a nice page"
556✅ "Create a landing page with a hero section with a purple-blue gradient,
557   a features section with 3 cards with icons, and an orange CTA button"
558```
559 
560### 2. Provide Context
561 
562```
563❌ "Add authentication"
564✅ "Add authentication with Supabase Auth. The project uses Next.js 15 App
565   Router with TypeScript. I want email/password login and OAuth with GitHub.
566   Use the SSR pattern with @supabase/ssr"
567```
568 
569### 3. Iterate in Small Steps
570 
571Don't try to build everything in a single prompt. Proceed incrementally:
572 
5731. Base layout
5742. One feature at a time
5753. Styling and polish
5764. Error handling
5775. Testing
578 
579### 4. Review the Generated Code
580 
581Vibecoding doesn't mean not reading the code. Always review:
582 
583- **Security**: RLS policies, input validation, data sanitization.
584- **Performance**: N+1 queries, unnecessarily client-side components.
585- **Best practices**: project structure, naming conventions.
586 
587### 5. Use Git Strategically
588 
589```
590You: Commit the changes with a descriptive message after each completed feature.
591```
592 
593This lets you revert if something goes wrong.
594 
595## 9. Costs: Is It Really All Free?
596 
597Here's a cost breakdown for each service:
598 
599| Service | Free Plan | When You Pay |
600|---------|-----------|-------------|
601| **Claude Code** | Requires an Anthropic plan (starting at $20/month) or API key | Immediately, but the value is enormous |
602| **Supabase** | Generous free tier (2 projects, 500MB DB) | Beyond free tier limits |
603| **Vercel** | Free tier for personal projects | For teams or commercial use |
604| **GitHub** | Free for public and private repos | Enterprise features |
605 
606> **Note:** Claude Code requires a subscription or API credits, but the return on investment in terms of development speed is extraordinary. For a demo or MVP, the total cost is in the range of $20.
607 
608### Free AI Alternatives
609 
610If you want to keep costs at absolute zero, you can use:
611 
612- **Cursor** (free tier with limitations).
613- **GitHub Copilot** (free for students and open source).
614- **Codeium/Windsurf** (generous free tier).
615 
616## 10. From Demo to Product: Next Steps
617 
618Once your demo is live, here's how to proceed:
619 
620```mermaid
621flowchart TD
622    A[Live Demo] --> B{User Feedback}
623    B --> C[Product Iteration]
624    C --> D[Product-Market Fit]
625    D --> E[Scaling]
626    E --> F[Supabase Pro Plan]
627    E --> G[Vercel Pro Plan]
628    E --> H[Custom Domain]
629```
630 
6311. **Collect feedback**: share the demo with potential users and gather opinions.
6322. **Iterate quickly**: use vibecoding to implement requested changes.
6333. **Monitor metrics**: Vercel Analytics and Supabase Dashboard give you essential data.
6344. **Scale when needed**: upgrade to paid plans only when you've validated demand.
635 
636 
637## Conclusion
638 
639Vibecoding with Claude Code, Supabase, and Vercel represents a powerful combination for building demos and MVPs in record time. What used to take weeks of development can now be accomplished in just a few hours, with a surprisingly high level of quality.
640 
641The key is approaching vibecoding with the right mindset: it's not about "not knowing how to code" but about **amplifying your capabilities** with AI tools. The more you know about the underlying technologies (React, SQL, authentication, deployment), the more effective you'll be at guiding the AI agent toward the desired result.
642 
643The future of software development is here, and the cost of getting started has never been lower. Create your demo, validate it with real users, and build the next great product.
644 
645> **Checklist for your first demo:**
646>
647> - [x] Claude Code installed and configured
648> - [x] Supabase project created with database schema
649> - [x] Next.js project initialized with shadcn/ui
650> - [x] Authentication configured
651> - [x] Full CRUD implemented
652> - [x] Modern and responsive UI
653> - [x] Deployed to Vercel
654> - [x] Shareable URL ready for feedback
655