I vibe coded my own Google Sheets replacement just to get dark mode

Dark mode is the first setting a user enables in any application they open on their PC. Google Sheets is one of the few applications that forces users to use light mode. The creator of a new web-based spreadsheets app, Simple Sheets, decided to build his own version to get dark mode and end the struggle of staring at muted colors for hours.

The app, developed using Claude Code, is now hosted on the creator's personal website and contains most of the features Google Sheets has, along with some custom features the creator always wanted.

Claude Code managed to develop a very usable and performant app in just an afternoon. The initial version was completely usable, but it was missing features like filters, dropdown selectors, and version history. However, Claude Code added these features and more, including freezing rows and columns, word wrapping, and at least a dozen other options. The creator imported all his old Google Sheets into the new app and now has his own spreadsheets application without relying on Google Sheets.

The creator believes that having their own spreadsheets app is great, but it also raises questions about the future of software. As developing basic programs and apps becomes almost trivial, pricey software and SaaS subscriptions may start to lose their footing. The creator plans to explore other apps to replace next, including an SSH terminal, FTP client, and screenshot tool.

While the app is new and some features, like charts and graphs, are missing, the creator is continually triaging and adding features based on the most frequently used ones.