Beginner guide
Start vibe coding
today
You can build working software by describing it clearly to an AI. This guide takes you from an empty terminal to your first GoShip challenge.
The shift
You can build software without writing it by hand.
Building software used to mean years of learning languages, algorithms and data structures before you could ship anything.
Now you can describe what you want and review what the AI writes. What matters is intention: knowing what to build, saying it clearly and checking the result.
Andrej Karpathy called it vibe coding:
“You fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists.”
GoShip gives you real problems to solve and scores how you work with the AI, including whether you notice when it gets something wrong. To start, you need a computer and a Claude account.
Before you start
What you need
A computer
Mac, Linux, or Windows with WSL. You need to be able to open a terminal.
A Claude Pro or Max account
Claude Code requires a paid Claude account ($20/mo for Pro). Sign up at claude.ai
A GoShip account
Free. Sign up with GitHub or email. Create account →
Step by step
From zero to shipping
One install command.
Install Claude Code
Claude Code is Anthropic's coding tool for the terminal. You tell it what you want in plain English. It reads your project, writes the code and runs commands.
Open your terminal (on a Mac, search Spotlight for "Terminal") and paste this command.
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Then type `claude` and press Enter. Your browser opens so you can log in with your Claude account.
Make a folder. Open it.
Create a project
Every project lives in a folder. Your Desktop is fine for your first one.
Run these two commands. The first creates the folder, the second moves into it:
mkdir ~/Desktop/my-first-project cd ~/Desktop/my-first-project
Everything you build for this project goes in this folder.
Choose what to build.
Pick a challenge
The Shipyard has challenges to build an app, fix a bug or add a feature. Start with a Junior one: they assume no experience.
Click "Start building" on a challenge and GoShip gives you a one-line command. Paste it into your terminal. It connects the GoShip recorder, which logs your prompts and commands while you work.
Say what you want.
Start talking
Start Claude Code in your project folder and describe what you want to build. It reads the challenge brief, then writes and runs the code.
Run this in the project folder, then type to it the way you would brief a colleague:
claude
You describe what you want, the AI writes the code, and you review each change before you move on.
Pro tips
How to vibe code well
- 01
Be specific about what you want
“Build a todo app with a dark theme and drag-to-reorder” works better than “build something”.
- 02
Ask Claude to make a plan first
Before any code, say “read the challenge and create a plan before writing any code”. The plan gives you something to check the code against.
- 03
Iterate, don't restart
When something looks wrong, say what is wrong. “The button is too small” gets a better fix than starting over.
- 04
Run your code often
Ask Claude to run the app so you can see it. “Run the app and show me how to open it in my browser.”
- 05
Read what the AI changes
You don't need to write the code, but read each change before you accept it. Reviewing counts toward your Judgment score.
- 06
Check it like a user would
Open the app and try it. Does it do what the brief asked? Catching a broken flow yourself is part of the score.
Pick your first challenge.
Describe what you want, then read what the AI builds before you accept it.
GoShip is free for developers. No credit card.