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Vibe Coding the Initial Prototype of the Radio Pulse Web Player

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Chapter 2 Building the Initial Prototype of Radio Pulse

Vibe Coding the Initial Prototype of the Radio Pulse Web Player

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Vibe Coding the Initial Prototype

Now we build. In this lesson, you will use Claude Code to create the initial Radio Pulse web player through what we call "vibe coding" — giving Claude high-level creative direction and letting it generate the implementation.

What Is Vibe Coding?

Vibe coding means describing the experience you want rather than dictating the exact implementation:

> Build a web-based audio player for Radio Pulse. The page should have
> a modern, dark-themed design with a centered player widget. Include
> a play/pause button, a volume slider, and display the station name
> "Radio Pulse" prominently. Use an internet radio stream URL as the
> audio source. Make it look professional and polished.

Building the Player

Let Claude Code create the initial player. Watch what it generates:

Expected output includes:

  • An HTML page with embedded or linked CSS
  • An audio element connected to a stream URL
  • Play/pause toggle button with visual state changes
  • Volume control slider
  • Station branding and layout

Testing the Player

After Claude generates the code:

> Start the server and open the player in the browser

Test these interactions:

  1. Click the play button — does audio stream?
  2. Click pause — does it stop?
  3. Adjust the volume slider — does volume change?
  4. Does the UI look professional?

Common Issues and Fixes

No audio playing:

> The audio stream is not playing. Check the stream URL and ensure
> the audio element has the correct CORS headers configured on the
> Express server

UI looks broken:

> The player layout is not centered properly. Fix the CSS to center
> the player widget both horizontally and vertically on the page

Button states not updating:

> The play/pause button does not change its icon when clicked.
> Fix the JavaScript to toggle between play and pause states

The Vibe Coding Workflow

  1. Describe the experience — What should the user see and feel?
  2. Let Claude create — Do not micromanage the implementation
  3. Test the result — Does it match the vibe you described?
  4. Refine with targeted feedback — Specific issues, not complete rewrites
  5. Iterate until satisfied — Usually 2-3 rounds

Understanding What Claude Code Generated

Take time to read the generated code. Key things to look for:

  • HTML structure — How is the player laid out?
  • CSS approach — Inline styles, stylesheet, or utility classes?
  • JavaScript logic — How are audio events handled?
  • Server integration — How does the frontend connect to Express?

Understanding the code is how you learn, even when AI writes it.

Key Takeaways

  • Vibe coding describes the desired experience rather than dictating implementation
  • Let Claude Code make creative decisions, then refine with targeted feedback
  • Test every feature interactively before moving on
  • Read and understand the generated code — that is where the real learning happens
  • 2-3 refinement rounds typically produce excellent results