How to vibe codeLinearity
AI Design Generator: Editable, On-Brand Campaigns
linearity.io ↗Design Software
The verdict: can you vibe code Linearity?
You cannot build this clone; keep paying for Linearity or use standard design tools, because writing a production-grade real-time vector rendering and AI Bézier-generation engine is a multi-year engineering feat.
Linearity combines a custom high-performance vector editing engine with specialized machine learning models that generate clean, multi-layered SVG paths and Bézier control nodes from text prompts. A solo developer vibecoding with AI tools can easily whip up a wrapper web app using HTML5 Canvas or SVG DOM elements, but it will immediately choke on complex path Boolean operations, anchor node editing, smooth 120Hz stylus interactions, and deterministic raster-to-vector autotracing. The core value of generating clean, editable vector nodes via AI rather than flat raster pixels requires proprietary computer vision and vector layout models that cannot be generated on a whim.
Estimated effort: 6+ months of full-time work
What you can't replicate
- High-performance native Metal/WebGL vector and Bézier path rendering engine
- Deterministic machine learning pipelines for raster-to-vector auto-tracing
- Advanced motion graphics keyframe compilation and native timeline export
- Enterprise workspace governance, brand guardrails, and role-based permissions
Founded
2017
Raised
$25.5M
Team
~50-85
Cheapest paid tier
$0
What Linearity does
A creative software suite featuring Linearity Curve for vector design and Linearity Move for motion graphics, powered by an AI design generator that outputs fully editable, multi-layered vector campaigns.
Core features
- Real-time vector and Bézier curve editing canvas
- AI design generator for multi-layered vector campaigns
- Automatic raster-to-vector tracing (Auto Trace)
- AI background removal and magic eraser
- Multi-channel auto-resizing and asset localization
- Motion graphics timeline and keyframe animation
- Workspace project sharing and permission management
- Brand kit asset management (colors, fonts, logos)
The business
Pricing
- Free$0
- Pro$25/mo
- Business$65/mo
- EnterpriseCustom
Funding
$25.5M from EQT Ventures, 468 Capital, HV Capital, Bradley Horowitz
Pay vs build, cumulative
Break-even at month 1 — after that, every month is money kept.
The hard parts of vibe coding Linearity
- Writing a high-performance custom vector and Bézier path rendering engine with smooth anchor node manipulation
- Building robust ML vision models that translate raster sketches into clean mathematical vector control points rather than bitmaps
- Compiling complex multi-layered vector compositions into synchronized motion keyframe animations and exporting to video/Lottie
- Delivering a native 120Hz stylus and touch rendering experience across macOS and iPadOS without lag
How to vibecode Linearity
Prerequisites
Node.jsfree
Required for running the local frontend development environment and package managers.
Cursorfree
AI-native code editor for iterative UI development and managing complex codebase structures.
GitHubfree
Source control and repository hosting for your project code.
AI coding tools
Recommended stack
| Frontend | Next.js |
|---|---|
| Backend | Next.js API Routes |
| Database | Turso |
| Auth | better-auth |
| Payments | Stripe |
| Other | Vercel AI SDK, Tailwind CSS |
Build guide
01Project Scaffolding & Design Workspace Layout
Initialize the Next.js application with Tailwind CSS and build the core multi-panel workspace layout containing a sidebar for project folders, a top toolbar, and an infinite canvas viewport.
Scaffold a new Next.js project using App Router, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS. Implement a professional design workspace layout inspired by Figma and Linearity, featuring a collapsible left sidebar for project assets and layers, a top navigation bar for document titles and export controls, and an infinite main canvas area with zoom and pan state management using React state and Tailwind utility classes. Ensure the UI is clean, dark-themed, and responsive.02Basic Vector Canvas & SVG Path Manipulation
Implement a simplified vector shape editor allowing users to place rectangles, circles, and custom SVG path elements onto an HTML5 Canvas or SVG workspace with selection and dragging capabilities.
Build an interactive vector editor component within the Next.js workspace using an SVG-based viewport. Allow users to select drawing tools (Rectangle, Circle, Path), click and drag to place shapes on the canvas, select existing shapes to move or resize them, and view their layer order in a right-hand layers panel. Implement state management for shape attributes including fill color, stroke color, stroke width, and bounding box coordinates.03Brand Kit and Asset Management
Create a brand management subsystem where users can define custom color palettes, typography rules, and logo assets to apply to their design projects.
Implement a Brand Kit settings page and drawer within the workspace. Using Turso as the database and better-auth for user sessions, allow users to create and store custom brand palettes (hex color arrays), typography pairings (heading and body fonts), and logo image URLs. Add a sidebar widget in the canvas view that lets users apply brand colors and logos to selected canvas elements with a single click.04AI Campaign Generator Stub & Prompt Interface
Build an AI prompt modal that accepts a marketing campaign description and simulates generating a structured multi-asset layout specification using the Vercel AI SDK.
Create an AI Campaign Generator modal that opens from the workspace toolbar. The modal should accept a text prompt describing a marketing campaign (e.g., 'Energy drink product launch ad') and select output formats (social post, banner, story). Integrate the Vercel AI SDK to call an API route that queries an LLM configured with structured JSON mode, returning a multi-asset layout specification containing text headings, background colors, and placeholder shape positions.05File Export & SVG/PNG Download Pipeline
Implement an export utility that converts the canvas DOM or SVG state into downloadable PNG, JPEG, and SVG file formats.
Implement a robust file export dialog supporting SVG, PNG, and JPEG formats. Write client-side utility functions that serialize the active workspace artboard or selected SVG elements into clean SVG markup strings, or render them onto an HTML5 canvas element to export compressed raster images. Provide immediate download triggers for the user.
Cost vs paying for Linearity
What will you build it with?
Starting total with Cursor$0 one-time
Starting costs (one-time)
- Domain name registration$12/yr
Total~$12 one-time
Ongoing costs (monthly)
- Vercel Hobby/Pro Hosting$0-20/mo
- Turso Database$0/mo
Total~$0-20/mo
Paying for Linearity
$25/mo (Pro)
Your time to build
120+ hours (Core subset only; full engine impossible)
AI tool credits
$20/mo (Cursor Pro / Claude)
Break-even
N/A (Clone lacks the core vector and ML generation engine)
Vibe code Linearity: FAQ
- Can you vibe code Linearity yourself?
- Impossible — 8/100 vibecodeable. You cannot build this clone; keep paying for Linearity or use standard design tools, because writing a production-grade real-time vector rendering and AI Bézier-generation engine is a multi-year engineering feat.
- How long does it take to vibe code Linearity?
- 6+ months of full-time work — roughly 120+ hours (Core subset only; full engine impossible) of hands-on time with an AI coding agent.
- How do you build your own Linearity?
- Scoped to personal use: Next.js on the front, Next.js API Routes behind it, Turso for data. Follow the 5-step build guide on this page — each step has a paste-ready prompt for an AI coding agent.
- How do you code your own Linearity without being an expert?
- Use an AI coding tool (Cursor or Claude Code) and work in small steps: scaffold, data model, core screens, then deploy. Realistic effort: 6+ months of full-time work. The prompts on this page are written so the AI does the heavy lifting.
- How much does it cost to vibe code Linearity instead of paying?
- About ~$12 one-time to start and ~$0-20/mo to run, versus $25/mo (Pro) for Linearity. Break-even: N/A (Clone lacks the core vector and ML generation engine).
- What stack should you use to vibe code Linearity?
- Next.js; Next.js API Routes; Turso; plus Vercel AI SDK, Tailwind CSS.