When someone says “they code” or “they’re coded,” it usually means one of two things, depending on context:

1. In tech: “Someone codes” = they program

In everyday and professional contexts, “to code” means to write instructions for a computer using a programming language.

  • It’s the process of designing and building software, apps, websites, or scripts by writing step‑by‑step instructions a computer can follow.
  • These instructions (the code) tell the computer what actions to take and how to process data.
  • People who code are often called developers, programmers, or software engineers.

So if someone says, “I code,” they mean they work with languages like Python, JavaScript, or Java to build or automate things on computers.

2. Online slang: “They’re ___ coded”

On social media and in fandoms, “coded” is slang for “gives the vibe of / reads as / is framed like X.”

People say things like:

  • “He’s villain coded ” – his style, behavior, or framing feels like a classic villain archetype.
  • “She’s CEO coded ” – confident, polished, business‑boss energy.
  • “They’re Pikachu coded ” – energetic, cute, a bit chaotic.

Under the hood, this comes from media analysis ideas like “queer‑coded” characters —where a character is written with traits associated with a group (for example, LGBTQ+), but it’s never said outright.

Today, that concept has morphed into a playful, aesthetic‑based shorthand on TikTok, X, and other platforms, used to map people or characters onto archetypes, aesthetics, or vibes.

3. Quick way to tell which meaning is used

Look at the sentence around the word:

  • “I learned to code,” “I code in Python,” “I code websites” → programming meaning.
  • “He’s so main‑character coded,” “She’s studio‑Ghibli‑coded,” “That outfit is villain coded” → vibe/archetype slang meaning.

As of the mid‑2020s, both uses are common: the tech meaning is older and formal, while the vibe/archetype meaning is newer and very online‑culture‑driven.

TL;DR:

  • In tech, “someone codes” = they write computer programs.
  • In internet slang, “someone is ___ coded” = they strongly give off the vibes or aesthetic of a certain character, group, or stereotype.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.