Low-coding vs Pure Vibe-coding: Finding the Balance Between Speed and Architecture

The new wave of software development is driven by AI — not just as a helper, but as a co-creator. More and more apps are built through AI-generated code rather than by human engineers. It’s fast and inspiring, but it also introduces new risks: fragile architecture, security gaps, and deep dependency on external services.

What Is Vibe-coding and Why It’s So Popular

Vibe-coding is a new development philosophy. Instead of building systems — you flow. Instead of configuring APIs — you generate them. Instead of spending a week coding — you build it in one evening with an AI copilot.

The idea is to remove friction and make software creation feel intuitive. The AI suggests, completes, and corrects — and the result appears almost instantly.

But there’s a catch: when architecture emerges spontaneously, control over the system fades. The app might work — but why it works that way isn’t always clear, even to its author.

Lovable Example: Speed vs Structure

Lovable has become one of the poster children of vibe-coding. It’s tightly integrated with Supabase, a powerful backend platform built on PostgreSQL. The combo allows creators to launch projects incredibly fast — sometimes within a day.

But where everything is generated automatically, it’s hard to maintain architectural integrity. Common issues include:

• Projects without a solid data model, leading to scaling and security problems.
• Supabase’s security is strong — but only if configured properly, which can be tricky for newcomers.
• Many architectural choices are made “on the fly”, and those shortcuts often come back to bite during scaling.
  

That said, Lovable serves its purpose perfectly — as a rapid prototyping tool. For demos, proof-of-concepts, and creative experiments, it’s a great match.

Low-coding: Building for Stability

If vibe-coding is about speed, low-coding is about stability. Platforms like Directual focus on combining visual speed with full control over architecture, logic, and scalability.

Low-code development allows you to design visually without losing clarity.

• You can see how data, APIs, and interfaces connect.
• Access rules and roles are managed at the API level — offering flexibility and built-in security.
• Encryption, audit trails, and integrations are supported out of the box, making it suitable for enterprise-grade systems.
  

It’s less “magical” than vibe-coding — but much more predictable and resilient.

Drawing the Line

In Short

Vibe-coding and low-coding aren’t rivals — they’re different stages of product evolution.

You start with flow and inspiration, but as your product grows — architecture, logic, and safety become essential.

Low-code platforms bring structure to that chaos, keeping what’s great about no-code freedom while adding the discipline of software engineering.

💡 The balance is simple: vibe-coding fuels creativity, low-coding builds sustainability. One helps you start — the other keeps you alive.

🔜 Spoiler: soon, we’ll unveil a major update that blends the best of both worlds — the creative flow of vibe-coding with the precision and security of low-code. A new assistant is coming to help you build intuitively, without sacrificing architecture or control.