I'll be the first to admit that I've been rather critical of our new AI-integrated, "woops-it's-broken" world. That's not to say I'm completely down on the tech, though; I still appreciate a good dose of DLSS, and vibe coding has shown some genuine promise in bringing software development to the masses. A perfect example of this is a new vibe-coded tool for Lego pieces called Brickbacklog.com.
This web tool helps you identify and source missing parts for your old Lego sets. The creator, James Bruce, is a fellow Lego connoisseur, though he possesses what sounds like a much larger collection than mine.
The rapid creation of Brickbacklog.com
Bruce's motivation came from the struggle of managing large quantities of loose bricks. "I love buying old bargain bulk boxes and figuring out what sets were mixed in there," says Bruce. "But finding the right bits to rebuild those sets can be tedious, especially when there are 5 kg of bricks to wade through."
To solve this, he envisioned a tool where he could enter a set number, view all parts, and use a dead-simple tick-box interface—ideally with a satisfying sound. Despite having two decades of experience as a web developer, Bruce decided to see if ChatGPT Codex could handle the heavy lifting.
The development timeline was remarkably fast:
- 15 Minutes: A working prototype was completed.
- Under one Hour: The domain name was purchased and the first version was uploaded.
- By Sunday Morning: New features were added, bugs were fixed, and the tool was scaled for massive sets.
Why this vibe-coded tool for Lego pieces is a game changer
While it's hard to track with my own limited experience with vibe coding, being an experienced developer likely helped Bruce prompt the AI in the right direction. He even implemented a way to save progress without ever needing to log in, ensuring that no sensitive user data is stored.
The resulting vibe-coded tool for Lego pieces looks incredibly useful, especially for anyone planning a move in the near future. I have far too many completed Lego sets in my home, and I know that no matter how carefully I disassemble them, parts often go missing.
A solution for Technic collectors
My experience with Lego Technic is a prime example of the problem. Half of my cars will inevitably end up without their wing mirrors by the time they are unpacked at a new house.
Fortunately, even my 2022 Ford GT is supported by the app. While many of those small pieces are likely already lost under furniture in my current home, I'll be using this tool to help order replacements when they are eventually found. It is a very cool bit of tech that proves the AI revolution might have some unexpected benefits.
