How I vibe coded an iOS App without knowing how to code
I just launched my first iOS app. I don’t know how to code. It took less than 5 hours total.
Does this count as “vibe coding”? I guess so.
What is vibe coding?
Vibe coding is coding without coding. You describe what you want. AI creates it. You give feedback. The AI improves it. You just go with the vibes.
No Swift. No Xcode mastery. Just conversation and iteration.
PercentPal – The simple and free percent calculator
I wanted to build a simple percentage calculator app just to see if I could make it work and how fast I could get something from idea to finish.
Nothing fancy, just a simple and useful app.
Getting started (30 Minutes)
I started with a clear vision. A clean interface. Essential functions only. No bloat.
I described my idea to Claude in a prompt. I explained the core features:
- Calculate percentages easily
- Determine discounts on sale items
- Calculate tips quickly
The AI generated the initial code structure and I pasted the code into a project in Xcode. Within 30 minutes, I had a working prototype on my iPhone.
Refinement (1 Hour)
The basics worked, but it needed polishing. I asked for improvements:
- “Make the interface cleaner”
- “Add dark mode support”
- “Implement haptic feedback for button presses”
- “Add iPad support”
Each request was translated into code. No debugging required on my part. Sometimes things didn’t work and I got an error message. I just pasted that error message into Claude and asked it to fix it. After a few tries it just works.
If the app didn’t look the way I wanted I took a screenshot of the simulator and pasted that into Claud as feedback.
I never even looked at the code. It does what I want and it might not be beautiful (or secure) but it works as a simple iOS app.
Submission process (3 Hours)
The final stretch involved App Store preparation. Creating the App icon (using ChatGPTs image generation). Screenshots (taken with the Xcode simulator). Description and tags (written by Claude).
I needed to configure app signing and certificates. The AI helped me navigate Apple’s requirements step by step. Sometimes I got stuck and have to ask the AI about that as well.
After about 3 hours of tinkering with submission details, PercentPal was ready for review.
The result: PercentPal
My finished app PercentPal is simple but effective. It does exactly what it needs to do:
PercentPal features:
- Calculate percentages with a single tap
- Instantly determine discounts on sale items
- Effortlessly calculate tips
It looks professional. It supports dark mode. The haptic feedback makes it feel polished.
Why this matters
A few years ago, this would have been impossible. I would have needed months of learning or paying for developers.
Today, anyone with a clear vision can create. The technical barriers are falling. You can make that app real. No matter if it’s a web app, an iOS app or something else.
It just takes time iterating using AI and you will get a result. It might not be perfect and the code might be sloppy. But that is also true for hiring junior developers to code your MVP.
Try it yourself
Have an app idea? You might be closer to making it real than you think.
Start by clearly defining what your app should do. Keep it focused. Then let AI assist with the technical parts.
Try coding using ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Lovable or Windsurf. There are a lot of solutions out there and new ones coming every week.
Download PercentPal for iOS (iPhone and iPad) for free today and see what vibe coding can create.
What will you build?
