Vibe Coding the Initial Prototype of the Radio Pulse Web Player

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