Skip to main content

Writing PRDs for Vibe Coding

When you work with AI coding agents like Replit Agent, Cursor, or similar tools, you're not just coding - you're collaborating with an AI that needs to understand your vision. The quality of what you build depends directly on how well you communicate your intent.

A Product Requirements Document (PRD) isn't just for traditional development teams. It's the single most powerful tool for getting AI agents to build exactly what you want.

Why PRDs Matter for Vibe Coding​

AI agents are incredibly capable, but they can't read your mind. Without clear context, they'll make assumptions - and those assumptions may not match your vision.

Without a PRD:

"Build me a website for my consulting business."

The AI will build something, but you'll spend hours correcting it because it doesn't know your brand, your audience, or your goals.

With a PRD:

The AI knows your target audience, brand colors, desired functionality, data structure, and success metrics. It builds with purpose.

The Anatomy of a Vibe Coding PRD​

Each section of your PRD gives the AI agent specific context it needs. Let's break down what to include and why it matters.

1. Project Overview​

What to include:

  • Product name
  • One-sentence description
  • Platform/deployment target
  • Version (if iterating)

Why it helps the AI: This establishes the scope of what you're building. An AI agent knowing you want a "mobile-first web app for iOS Safari" will make different decisions than if you want a "desktop dashboard for internal use."

Example:

Product Name: Client Portal for Apex Consulting
Description: A secure web application where clients can view project status, 
download deliverables, and schedule meetings.
Platform: Web (responsive, mobile-first)
Version: 1.0 (MVP)

2. Problem Statement​

What to include:

  • The specific pain point you're solving
  • Who experiences this problem
  • Current workarounds (if any)

Why it helps the AI: Understanding the why behind your project helps the AI make better design decisions. If it knows users are frustrated by "too many email attachments," it will prioritize a clean file management interface.

Example:

Problem: Clients currently receive project updates via scattered emails 
with attachments. They lose track of files, miss deadlines, and email 
our team repeatedly asking for status updates.

Current workaround: A shared Google Drive folder, but clients forget the 
link and can't see real-time project status.

3. Target Users​

What to include:

  • Primary user types
  • Technical skill level
  • Key behaviors or expectations

Why it helps the AI: This shapes the UI/UX decisions. An app for "tech-savvy developers" will look different than one for "small business owners who rarely use computers."

Example:

Primary Users: 
- Small business owners (age 35-55)
- Limited technical skills
- Primarily access via mobile phones
- Expect simplicity; will abandon if confused

4. Goals & Success Metrics​

What to include:

  • 2-4 measurable outcomes
  • What "done" looks like

Why it helps the AI: Goals provide direction when the AI faces design trade-offs. If your goal is "reduce support emails by 50%," the AI will prioritize self-service features and clear navigation.

Example:

Goals:
1. Reduce client status-check emails by 80%
2. Provide 24/7 access to all project documents
3. Allow clients to self-schedule meetings

Success Metrics:
- Client logs in at least 1x/week
- Zero "where is my file?" support tickets
- 90% of meetings booked via portal (not email)

5. Core Features​

What to include:

  • List of must-have functionality (MVP)
  • Nice-to-have features (future)
  • Explicitly state what's OUT of scope

Why it helps the AI: This prevents scope creep and helps the AI prioritize. Listing what's not included is just as important - it tells the AI to ignore those patterns.

Example:

MVP Features:
- User authentication (email/password)
- Project dashboard showing status of active projects
- File repository with download capability
- Meeting scheduler integrated with Calendly

Future Features (NOT in v1.0):
- In-app messaging/chat
- Payment processing
- Multi-language support

Explicitly Out of Scope:
- Mobile native apps (web only for now)
- Public-facing pages (authenticated users only)

6. User Stories​

What to include:

  • Specific scenarios in the format: "As a [user], I want to [action], so that I can [benefit]"
  • Acceptance criteria for each

Why it helps the AI: User stories translate business needs into specific, buildable features. The acceptance criteria give the AI clear pass/fail conditions.

Example:

User Story 1: View Project Status
As a client, I want to see my project's current status on a dashboard, 
so that I don't have to email asking for updates.

Acceptance Criteria:
- [ ] Dashboard shows all active projects
- [ ] Each project displays: name, status (Not Started/In Progress/Complete), 
      last updated date
- [ ] Status updates in real-time without page refresh
- [ ] Mobile-responsive layout

7. Data Structure​

What to include:

  • Key entities and their relationships
  • Field definitions (name, type, required/optional)
  • Any data validation rules

Why it helps the AI: This is critical for vibe coding. The AI uses this to generate database schemas, API endpoints, and form validation. Ambiguity here leads to bugs and rework.

Example:

Entity: Project
| Field       | Type      | Required | Description                    |
|-------------|-----------|----------|--------------------------------|
| id          | UUID      | Yes      | Unique identifier              |
| name        | String    | Yes      | Project display name           |
| status      | Enum      | Yes      | not_started, in_progress, complete |
| client_id   | UUID      | Yes      | Reference to Client            |
| created_at  | DateTime  | Yes      | ISO 8601 timestamp             |
| updated_at  | DateTime  | Yes      | Auto-updated on change         |

Entity: Document
| Field       | Type      | Required | Description                    |
|-------------|-----------|----------|--------------------------------|
| id          | UUID      | Yes      | Unique identifier              |
| project_id  | UUID      | Yes      | Reference to Project           |
| file_name   | String    | Yes      | Original filename              |
| file_url    | String    | Yes      | Storage location               |
| uploaded_by | UUID      | Yes      | Reference to User              |
| uploaded_at | DateTime  | Yes      | ISO 8601 timestamp             |

8. Technical Requirements​

What to include:

  • Technology preferences or constraints
  • Integrations needed
  • Performance requirements
  • Security requirements

Why it helps the AI: These constraints guide implementation decisions. If you need "Calendly integration," the AI knows to use their API. If you require "HIPAA compliance," it will implement appropriate data handling.

Example:

Technology:
- Framework: React or Next.js
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Authentication: Email/password with secure session management
- Hosting: Replit deployments

Integrations:
- Calendly API for meeting scheduling
- Email notifications via Resend or similar

Performance:
- Page load under 3 seconds on 3G connection
- Support 100 concurrent users

Security:
- HTTPS only
- Password hashing (bcrypt or similar)
- Session timeout after 30 minutes of inactivity

9. Brand & Design Guidelines​

What to include:

  • Color palette (hex codes)
  • Typography preferences
  • Tone/voice
  • Example sites for inspiration

Why it helps the AI: Visual consistency matters. Giving the AI specific colors and reference sites prevents generic, template-looking output.

Example:

Colors:
- Primary: #2563eb (Blue-600)
- Secondary: #10b981 (Emerald-500)
- Background: #f8fafc (Slate-50)
- Text: #1e293b (Slate-800)

Typography:
- Headings: Inter or similar sans-serif
- Body: 16px base, 1.5 line height

Tone: Professional but approachable. No jargon.

Inspiration Sites:
- notion.so (clean, minimal)
- linear.app (modern dashboard style)

10. Implementation Notes for AI Agent​

What to include:

  • Specific instructions for the AI
  • Order of operations
  • Known gotchas or preferences

Why it helps the AI: This is your direct conversation with the AI agent. Be specific about how you want things done.

Example:

Implementation Notes:
1. Start with authentication - nothing else works without it
2. Build the database schema before UI components
3. Use environment variables for all API keys
4. Add loading states for all async operations
5. Include error handling with user-friendly messages
6. Mobile-first CSS approach
7. Comment complex logic for future maintainability

Complete PRD Template​

Copy this template and fill in your project details:

Quick Reference: What Each Section Tells the AI​

SectionContext It ProvidesAI Uses It For
Project OverviewScope and scaleTechnology choices, complexity decisions
Problem StatementThe "why"Prioritizing features that solve the real problem
Target UsersWho's using itUI/UX decisions, complexity level
GoalsDefinition of successTrade-off decisions, feature priority
Core FeaturesWhat to buildSprint planning, scope control
User StoriesSpecific behaviorsIndividual feature implementation
Data StructureHow data relatesDatabase schema, API design, forms
Technical RequirementsConstraintsFramework selection, integrations
Brand & DesignVisual identityCSS, component styling, layout
Implementation NotesYour preferencesBuild order, coding style

The Golden Rule of Vibe Coding​

Context is everything. Every minute you spend writing a clear PRD saves ten minutes of back-and-forth with the AI and prevents hours of rework.

The AI agent is your collaborator. The better you brief it, the better it performs. Think of your PRD as onboarding a new team member who is incredibly skilled but knows nothing about your business - yet.