Vibe Coding: Build a Python Speed Reading App in 15 Minutes with AI

Vibe Coding a Speed Reading App with Python in Just 15 Minutes

This article details the process of rapidly developing a speed reading application using Python and an AI coding partner, a methodology termed "vibe coding." The author, Bala Priya C, demonstrates how natural language prompts can accelerate the journey from concept to a functional prototype, reducing development time significantly.

Introduction to Vibe Coding

Vibe coding is presented as a collaborative approach where natural language instructions guide the creation of applications. It emphasizes describing the desired outcome ('what') rather than the implementation details ('how'), leveraging AI coding assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. This method aims to augment, not replace, traditional coding skills by speeding up the initial development phases.

Building the Speed Reading App

The article walks through a 15-minute project to build a Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) speed reading app. The process is broken down into three key steps:

Step 1: Describe What You Want to Build

The initial prompt focuses on creating a command-line speed reading application in Python using the RSVP technique. Key requirements include adjustable speeds, basic keyboard controls, and error handling. The AI provides a functional terminal-based application with features like text processing, speed control, interactive commands, progress tracking, and file support.

Example Prompt:

"I'd like to create a command-line speed reading application using Python that implements RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) technique. The app should run on Ubuntu, display words sequentially at adjustable speeds, and include basic controls based on keyboard inputs. Could you provide a clean, well-structured implementation with proper error handling?"

Initial Implementation Features:

Text processing: Splitting content into readable chunks.
Speed control: Configurable words-per-minute (WPM).
Interactive controls: Pause, resume, navigate, speed adjustment.
Progress tracking: Visual feedback with progress bars.
File support: Read from text files or direct input.

Step 2: Enhance User Experience

To improve readability and visual appeal, the next prompt focuses on enhancing the user experience by centering the text display and increasing font emphasis. The AI modifies the code to utilize the terminal's center area more effectively, ensuring a clean and professional output.

Example Prompt:

"I'd like to enhance the visual presentation by centering the text display in the terminal window and increasing the font emphasis for better readability. Could you modify the code to utilize the terminal's center area more effectively while maintaining clean, professional output?"

This step involves implementing terminal manipulation techniques to achieve a more responsive layout.

Step 3: Refine User Interface Requirements

The final iteration refines the interface with specific requirements: displaying text in the center 40% of the terminal, reducing the default reading speed, creating a static control interface with dynamic text updates, and adding clean borders. The AI implements these changes while preserving existing functionality.

Example Prompt:

"I'd like to refine the interface design with these specific requirements: 1) Display text in the center 40% of the terminal screen, 2) Reduce default reading speed for better comprehension, 3) Create a static control interface that doesn't refresh, with only the reading text updating dynamically, 4) Maintain clean borders around the active display area. Could you implement these changes while preserving all existing functionality?"

This leads to a refined terminal control implementation.

Technical Specifics of the App

The article highlights several technical aspects of the developed speed reading app:

Threading for Responsive Controls: Utilizes raw mode and non-blocking I/O polling to capture keyboard input in real-time without interrupting the main program flow.
Smart Terminal Positioning: Employs ANSI escape sequences to precisely position text on the terminal screen, moving the cursor to specific coordinates before printing.
Adaptive Speed Control: Adjusts display time based on word length, providing more time for longer words (8+ characters) and less for shorter words (under 4 characters) to optimize comprehension.

Running the Application

Instructions are provided on how to make the Python script executable (chmod +x rsvp_reader.py) and how to run it with a text file (./rsvp_reader.py sample.txt). Further details can be found in the project's README file on GitHub.

Conclusion

The vibe coding session successfully produced a fully functional, distraction-free terminal-based speed reading app in Python within 15 minutes. The app supports variable reading speeds, real-time controls, adaptive display, and smart word timing. The article concludes by encouraging readers to try vibe coding for their own projects, emphasizing the power of clear, natural language descriptions in accelerating development.

About the Author

Bala Priya C is a developer and technical writer from India, specializing in AI, data science, and natural language processing. She contributes to the developer community by creating tutorials and guides.