The Ultimate Vibecoding Workflow With ChatGPT-5 and Codex
Vibecoding isn’t just about letting AI write code for you. It’s about finding your flow, combining creativity with structure, and using the right tools for the right moments. With ChatGPT-5 and Codex inside VSCode, you can create a workflow that feels natural, fast, and surprisingly fun.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through my ultimate vibecoding workflow — from idea to finished code — so you can skip the trial and error and dive straight into building.
Step 1: Start With an Idea
Every vibecoding session starts with a spark. Maybe it’s:
- A new app you wish existed.
- A game mechanic you want to try.
- A feature your project needs.
The important thing: don’t overthink it. Write down your idea in plain English. Even small, silly, or half-formed ideas matter — capturing them keeps your momentum going and fuels creativity. Sometimes the most unexpected concepts lead to the best projects.
Getting your ideas out quickly helps maintain flow and prevents the dreaded “blank page” paralysis that can stall your vibecoding session before it even begins.
Step 2: Plan With ChatGPT
Here’s where ChatGPT shines. Open ChatGPT and describe your idea in detail:
👉 Example: “I want to build a simple todo list app with categories, search, and dark mode. Can you outline the structure?”
ChatGPT can do more than just draft an architecture or file structure. It can suggest libraries and dependencies you might want to include, recommend UI/UX patterns, and even generate rough UI mockups or wireframes in text form. This helps you visualize the project and plan effectively before writing a single line of code.
Think of ChatGPT as your brainstorming partner who can quickly map out the technical and design landscape, saving you hours of upfront planning.
Step 3: Write Clear Prompts (With ChatGPT’s Help)
Codex is powerful, but it’s literal. If you give it vague instructions, it might output messy or incomplete code. Use ChatGPT to refine your prompts for clarity and specificity.
- Bad prompt: “Build me a todo app.”
- Refined prompt: “Write a React component for a todo list with add, delete, and mark complete functionality. Use TailwindCSS for styling.”
You can iterate on your prompts with ChatGPT, asking it to improve or clarify them until they are precise enough for Codex to generate quality code. This prompt iteration step is crucial — better prompts lead to better generated code, saving you debugging time later.
Step 4: Generate Code With Codex in VSCode
Once your prompt is ready, highlight or paste it into VSCode and let Codex generate code. Review it carefully — Codex is fast, but you’re the architect.
Small, incremental code generation is key here. Generate one component or function at a time, test it, and commit your changes frequently. These frequent Git commits provide version safety, allowing you to roll back easily if something breaks, and keep your workflow organized.
This iterative approach also helps you catch issues early and maintain control over the codebase as it grows.
Step 5: Debug With ChatGPT
When bugs appear (and they will), don’t just fight the code alone. Copy the error message or problematic code snippet into ChatGPT and ask:
👉 “Here’s my error: X. Can you explain what it means and suggest a fix?”
ChatGPT can not only explain the error in plain language but also suggest debugging strategies or alternative approaches. This saves hours of Googling and lets you keep the coding flow alive without frustration.
Using ChatGPT as your debugging assistant helps you learn from mistakes and accelerates problem-solving.
Step 6: Refactor and Polish
After the app runs, use ChatGPT again to ask:
- “How can I make this more efficient?”
- “Can you suggest cleaner function names?”
- “How do I add basic logging or tests?”
- “Can you help me write documentation or comments for this code?”
Refactoring isn’t just about making code shorter or faster; it’s about improving readability, maintainability, and preparing your code for collaboration. Adding clear comments, documentation, and tests ensures your project is robust and easier for others (or future you) to understand.
Codex can handle the actual refactor once you have clarity on what needs improvement.
Step 7: Repeat the Loop
The beauty of vibecoding is how cyclical it is:
- Idea →
- Plan in ChatGPT →
- Prompt crafting →
- Codex in VSCode →
- Debugging →
- Refactoring →
- Back to planning.
Each loop gets smoother, faster, and more creative. Over time, you build intuition and efficiency — almost like training alongside an AI partner that learns your style and preferences. This repetition strengthens your skills and deepens your understanding of both the problem and the tools.
Why This Workflow Works
- ChatGPT = strategist → It helps you brainstorm ideas, plan architecture, refine prompts, and debug errors, acting as a knowledgeable guide throughout the process.
- Codex = builder → It executes the prompts inside your editor, rapidly generating code snippets or components so you can focus on higher-level decisions.
- You = director → You guide the entire process, make critical decisions, review generated code, and steer the project toward your vision.
It’s not about replacing your role — it’s about supercharging it with AI to become more creative, productive, and confident.
Final Thoughts
The ultimate vibecoding workflow combines the creative spark of ChatGPT with the raw execution speed of Codex. Together, they turn coding into something more playful, intuitive, and human.
If you’re new to vibecoding, try this loop for your next project. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your ideas become real.