Linus Torvalds Endorses Vibe Coding for Beginners, Warns Against Maintenance Use
Linus Torvalds, the Linux kernel maintainer, is fairly positive about vibe coding as a way for people to get computers to do things they otherwise could not. During an interview at the Linux Foundation Open Source Summit in Seoul earlier this month, he expressed support for the approach as an accessible entry point into computing for newcomers. However, he cautioned that vibe coding would be a ‘horrible, horrible idea from a maintenance standpoint’ for production code.
Torvalds told Dirk Hohndel, head of open source at Verizon, that computers have become more complicated than when he learned to code by typing in programs from computer magazines. The Linux kernel maintainer highlighted how the increasing complexity of modern systems makes traditional coding methods less viable for entry-level learners. He emphasized that vibe coding offers a path for newcomers to gain experience without the steep learning curve of traditional programming.
Despite his advocacy for vibe coding, Torvalds is not using AI-assisted coding himself. He explained that his role has shifted from rejecting new ideas to sometimes pushing for them against opposition from longstanding maintainers who ‘kind of get stuck in a rut.’ This reflects the evolving nature of open-source development, where balancing innovation and tradition remains a central challenge.
Additionally, Torvalds commented on the growing integration of Rust into the Linux kernel, noting that it is ‘actually becoming a real part of the kernel instead of being this experimental thing.’ While the language is now more entrenched, the Linux kernel maintainers are still dealing with challenges from AI crawlers that scrape data from kernel.org source code, contributing to the proliferation of ‘fake’ bugs and security notices reported to the team. Though Torvalds acknowledged the problem, he noted it is smaller than the issues faced by other projects such as curl.
In an interview, Torvalds also shared his views on open-source development, emphasizing the importance of maintaining code quality while embracing new technologies. He stressed that while innovation is critical, it must be balanced with the need for stability and reliability in production environments. His comments reflect ongoing discussions within the open-source community about the best practices for both development and maintenance processes.
The Linux foundation and its open-source contributors continue to navigate the challenges of modern software development, balancing the benefits of rapid innovation with the need for robust and secure codebases. As new technologies like AI and Rust become more prevalent, the discussions led by figures like Torvalds are likely to shape the future of open-source development and maintenance practices.