Vibe Lock

Vibe lock is the AI equivalent of being stuck in a rut. Recognizing when you're in vibe lock — and knowing how to break out — is a key vibe coding skill.

Signs of Vibe Lock

• Same or similar wrong answers repeatedly
• AI seems to "not understand" despite rephrasing
• Increasing frustration with diminishing results
• Conversation getting longer without progress
• AI referencing its own failed attempts

Why Vibe Lock Happens

Context pollution:

• Failed attempts remain in context
• AI weights recent (wrong) patterns
• Error patterns reinforce themselves

Prompt ruts:

• Same framing, same results
• Not providing new information
• Expecting different output from same input

Model limitations:

• Task may be outside AI capabilities
• Specific knowledge gap
• Ambiguous requirements

Breaking Vibe Lock

Reset Context

Start a new conversation. Clear the failed attempts.

Change Approach

• Different framing of the problem
• Break into smaller pieces
• Ask AI to try a completely different approach

Add Information

• Provide examples of desired output
• Share more context or constraints
• Include error messages or symptoms

Step Back

• Ask AI to explain its understanding
• Identify where understanding diverges
• Correct misconceptions before requesting solutions

Use Different Tools

• Try a different model
• Switch from chat to agent mode
• Use traditional debugging first

Prevention

• Don't iterate too long on the same failing approach
• Recognize vibe lock early (3 failed attempts is a signal)
• Keep prompts focused and clear
• Provide sufficient context from the start