Vibe-Coding a Weightlifting Tracker with Claude Code

Radu Pana documented his journey of building a weightlifting tracking app using Claude Code's 'vibe coding' approach.

What They Built

• A strength training tracking application
• Logs exercises, sets, reps, and weights
• Tracks progress over time
• Visualizes training volume and PR history

Honest Lessons Learned

• You can't vibe code your way to even a moderately complex app (as of late 2025)
• Only work on one thin slice of user functionality at a time
• Otherwise Claude adds random bells and whistles
• Requires careful prompt engineering and incremental development

Why This Matters

This is a refreshingly honest take on the limitations of AI-assisted development. While Claude Code dramatically speeds up development, complex apps still require human architectural decisions and careful planning.

Development Tips from the Author

• Break features into the smallest possible increments
• Review and test each increment before moving on
• Don't let Claude make autonomous architectural decisions
• Keep a clear mental model of your app's structure