Hello World

What is “Hello World”?

One of the most iconic phrases in programming is Hello World.

Traditionally, it’s the first program that developers write when learning a new programming language. The simplicity of printing Hello World to the console made it a rite of passage for programmers around the world.

For example, a devloper might write:

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// JavaScript
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console.log("Hello World");

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# Python
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print("Hello World")

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// Java
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public class HelloWorld {
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    public static void main(String[] args) {
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        System.out.println("Hello World");
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    }
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}

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// C#
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using System;
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class HelloWorld {
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    static void Main() {
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        Console.WriteLine("Hello World");
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    }
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}

In all these examples, the program simply outputs Hello World to the console, serving as a basic test to ensure that the programming environment is set up correctly and that the developer understands the syntax of the language. For many new to programming, one of the more difficult parts of learning to code is setting up the development environment in the first place.

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> Hello World

Why “Hello World” is no longer the milestone it once was

While Hello World remains a symbolic starting point, it’s no longer the milestone it once was.

The cause? Vibe coding.

Colloquially, vibe coding is the practice of writing code using AI. There’s certainly a spectrum of vibe coding, a vibe coder might use AI to help solve ad-hoc coding problems and generate boilerplate code / templates.

A vibe coder might also use AI to design, build and test an end-to-end application without ever writing a single line of code themselves.

With the rise of vibe coding and vibe coders, the traditional Hello World program has lost much of its significance as a milestone for learning to program.

No longer does a developer need to understand the syntax of a programming language or set up a development environment to create a simple program. Instead, they can simply describe what they want to create, and let the AI do the rest.

I wonder if, in a few years, a new Hello World will emerge as the new milestone for learning to vibe code. Will anyone even need to code?