Smoke Testing for Vibe Coding - Free Master Checklist
Stop shipping broken apps — catch bugs before users do
A free 75-item testing checklist for vibe coders building with Cursor, Claude, and ChatGPT.
No QA team required. Just 60-90 minutes and a systematic process.
What's Included
✅ 75-item master testing checklist (3 phases: pre-deploy, post-deploy, feature updates)
✅ Priority levels (critical, important, nice-to-have)
✅ Decision points (when to ship vs when to fix)
✅ PDF + Markdown (print or use digitally)
Format: 2 files (README + Checklist) • Pages: ~10 • Cost: Free
What You'll Catch
This checklist catches bugs before users find them:
- Mobile layout broken (buttons hidden by keyboard)
- Forms accepting invalid data (empty fields, special characters)
- Performance issues with real data (100+ items)
- Production environment not configured
- Security holes (users accessing each other's data)
Time saved: 2-3 hours of post-launch debugging per deploy
Who This Is For
✅ Vibe coders using Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT
✅ First-time builders who've shipped embarrassing bugs
✅ Solo founders testing without a QA team
❌ Not for professional QA engineers or automated testing
How to Use
Quick (30 min): Run Test 1 (Happy Path) + Test 3 (Multi-Device) → Fix critical bugs
Complete (60-90 min): Run all Phase 1 tests → Deploy → Run Phase 2 tests → Ship publicly
That's it. No testing frameworks. Just systematic bug-catching.
Real Results
Quick Viral Notes (Jenny Ouyang):
- Caught mobile keyboard hiding buttons before launch
- Found form validation issues with special characters
- Caught performance issues with 50+ simultaneous tasks
VibeCodingBuilders (Jenny Ouyang):
- Found broken pagination
- "Systematic testing = confidence to ship publicly"
Want More?
📖 Read the full article - Learn why this matters with real failure stories
📧 Join Build to Launch newsletter - Weekly tips on building and shipping with AI
🚀 Showcase on VibeCodingBuilders - Built something? Get it in front of other builders
💎 Get the complete guide - Detailed how-to with troubleshooting (paid)
FAQ
Q: Do I need testing experience?
A: Nope. Just follow the checklist.
Q: How long does this take?
A: 60-90 minutes for your first complete test.
Q: Will this catch all bugs?
A: No, but it'll catch the obvious ones users would find immediately.
Q: Do I need testing tools?
A: Just your browser's DevTools and your phone.
Q: What if I find bugs?
A: Fix critical ones before deploying. Track others for later.
About
Jenny Ouyang creates the Build to Launch newsletter and has shipped AI-built products including Quick Viral Notes and VibeCodingBuilders.
She learned testing the hard way: by shipping broken apps in public. This checklist is what she wishes she had when she started.
Part of the Build to Launch production-ready guide for vibe coders shipping with AI.