Vibe Coder’s Guide to Building a Shippable MVP in 4 Hours

TLDR

You can now build a functional MVP in just 4 hours without writing traditional code. By using vibe coding—describing your app in plain English to AI tools—you can skip the setup, coding, and debugging phases. This guide shows you how to scope, build, and ship a "simple, practical, and shippable" MVP using tools like Bolt.new, Lovable, and Replit. Focus on one core feature, iterate fast, and get it into users' hands before lunch.

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Table of Contents

• Step 1 — Define Your 4-Hour Scope
• Step 2 — Choose the Right Vibe Coding App
• Step 3 — Generate the First Version
• Step 4 — Add Real Functionality
• Step 5 — Improve Layout and Flow
• Step 6 — Connect Basic Data
• Step 7 — Review, Test, and Prepare
• Step 8 — Publish Your MVP
• Sample MVPs You Can Build in 4 Hours
• Realistic Expectations
• The 4-Hour Workflow Breakdown
• Avoid These Mistakes
• When to Move Beyond the MVP
• FAQs

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Step 1 — Define Your 4-Hour Scope

Before you open any tool, you must define exactly what "shippable" means for you today.

A "Simple, Practical, and Shippable" MVP solves one specific problem for one specific user.

Do not build:

• A full SaaS platform with 5 user roles
• A social network with a feed and chat
• A marketplace with payments and reviews

Do build:

• A tool that takes an input and gives a valuable output
• A dashboard that visualizes one dataset
• A form that collects and organizes specific information

Write down your Core Value Proposition:

"My app helps [User] achieve [Goal] by [Action]."

Once you have this sentence, you are ready to choose your tool.

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Step 2 — Choose the Right Vibe Coding App

Different tools fit different phases of the speed run.

Bolt.new — Best for instant MVP scaffolds

Why:

• Very fast generation
• Clean layouts
• Easy to tweak
• Good for demos and investor pitches

Perfect when: You need something visual immediately.

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Lovable.dev — Best for beginners and visual thinkers

Why:

• Full apps from short prompts
• Predictable structure
• No technical knowledge required

Ideal for:

• Landing pages
• Dashboards
• Form-based MVPs

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Cursor — Best for refining logic

Why:

• Deep reasoning
• Strong refactoring
• Good across many files
• Works well with existing Git repos

Perfect when: Your MVP grows and needs complex logic.

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Replit — Best for deploying quickly

Why:

• AI built in
• Hosting included
• One-click deployment
• Great for sharing prototypes

Most vibe coders use: Bolt.new → Cursor → Replit
or
Lovable.dev → Replit

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Step 3 — Generate the First Version

Open your chosen vibe coding app.
Paste your prompt.
Generate the first draft.

You get:

• Screens
• Components
• Routing
• Forms
• Buttons
• Basic logic
• Placeholder content

This base version is enough to test your core idea.

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Step 4 — Add Real Functionality

Once the base exists, you add the actions that matter.

Common MVP actions:

• Add an item
• Save a booking
• Submit a form
• Sort results
• Update an entry
• Filter by condition
• Show summary metrics

Examples:

• “Add form validation.”
• “Sort by date descending.”
• “Group tasks by category.”
• “Add a confirmation modal before deleting.”

The app updates instantly.

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Step 5 — Improve Layout and Flow

You polish the app through short instructions.

Examples:

• “Make the layout two columns.”
• “Reduce spacing in the header.”
• “Use a softer colour palette.”
• “Align buttons to the right.”
• “Improve mobile layout.”

Vibe coding tools handle visual adjustments well.

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Step 6 — Connect Basic Data

Many MVPs need simple data handling.
You can start with:

• Local state
• Temporary arrays
• Mock data
• Simple JSON files

If your MVP requires a small API:

• You can add it in Cursor
• You can attach it in Replit
• You can keep it simple (no databases needed)

Keep depth minimal.
MVPs test demand, not scalability.

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Step 7 — Review, Test, and Prepare

Before publishing, check:

• Buttons
• Forms
• Navigation
• Layout
• Data input
• Error messages
• Flow from start to finish

Run through the app like a real user.
If something feels slow or unclear, fix it with one instruction.

Helpful internal links:

• AI Coding
• Best Practices
• Blog

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Step 8 — Publish Your MVP

The simplest publishing path:

Replit

• Deploy
• Share link
• Collect feedback

GitHub + Vercel

• For more control and cleaner hosting

Download + Custom Hosting

• Only needed when going beyond MVP

Your goal:
Get real users to try it within 4 hours.

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Sample MVPs You Can Build in 4 Hours

Here are MVPs that vibe coding tools handle very well:

Business MVPs

• Appointment scheduler
• Invoicing tool
• Simple CRM
• Lead capture app
• Client dashboard

Consumer MVPs

• Habit tracker
• Budget tracker
• Workout planner
• Recipe organiser

SaaS MVPs

• Analytics dashboard
• Subscription calculator
• Content planning tool
• Notification system

Internal Tools

• Staff tracker
• Inventory manager
• Shift planner

These fit the 2–4 screen model and can be tested fast.

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Realistic Expectations

A 4-hour MVP is:

• Functional
• Clear
• Focused
• Minimal
• Good enough to test

It is not:

• Polished
• Perfectly styled
• Optimised
• Complete
• Scalable for enterprise

The point is learning, not finishing.

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The 4-Hour Workflow Breakdown

Hour 1 — Scope + Prompt

Define the core.
Write the prompt.
Generate the first version.

Hour 2 — Features

Add main functionality.
Fix flows.
Add or remove screens.

Hour 3 — Layout + UX

Improve visual design.
Fix spacing.
Optimise mobile layout.

Hour 4 — Deploy

Publish the app.
Share with early users.
Collect feedback.

This pattern fits most small MVPs.

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Avoid These Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Too many features

MVPs test one thing.

Mistake 2 — Regenerating too often

Iterate instead of restarting.

Mistake 3 — Polishing too early

Ship first, refine later.

Mistake 4 — Forgetting the flow

Always test the full journey.

Mistake 5 — Building for all users

Start with one use case.

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When to Move Beyond the MVP

Move forward when:

• People use it
• You receive clear feedback
• You see recurring requests
• You can describe a real next step

If users ignore it:
Substitute features.
Redefine the idea.
Or try a new MVP.

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FAQs

1. Can I really build an MVP in 4 hours?

Yes. Many vibe coders do this weekly.

2. Which tool should I use first?

Bolt.new for speed.
Lovable.dev for simplicity.
Cursor for depth.
Replit for deployment.

3. Do I need coding experience?

Not for the MVP stage.

4. Can I publish it?

Yes. Replit works well.

5. What comes next?

Improve based on feedback.
Add structure in Cursor.
Scale your idea if it resonates.