Icons are a visual language used in software just as frequently as text. They allow users to quickly recognize functions even on small screens and reduce the need to repeat explanations. If all functions are explained solely through text, the screen quickly becomes cluttered. Long translated sentences can also disrupt the carefully arranged layout. Of course, icons do not convey the same meaning in every country. A symbol you consider familiar may be unfamiliar to someone else. Therefore, it is important to use appropriate text alongside the icons.
Thanks to AI, we have entered an era where anyone can create a product. Building services for global users from the ground up has also become much easier. However, when creating screens quickly, it is easy to just grab whatever fits the moment. They may look fine when viewed individually. The problem arises when they are grouped together on a single screen. It can be confusing because the same function might look different, or different functions might look similar. If the thickness and shape vary, your eyes might keep being drawn to unimportant icons. Furthermore, depending on how they are loaded in the code, unnecessary loading may occur.
It would be great to have a dedicated icon set that captures your brand's personality. However, creating one yourself from scratch can be daunting. Until then, it is best to choose a single library that contains a sufficient number of necessary icons and offers visual consistency. I found that having many options doesn't necessarily make things easier. In fact, establishing criteria makes it easier to delegate tasks to the AI. So, what criteria should you use to select icons when building products with AI? After personally testing various icon libraries, I have compiled a list of icon sets that were particularly useful for AI VIBE coding.
