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Intro Before You Start Reading This Step 0 Plan Before You Build Ch. 01 Opening Your Terminal Ch. 07 How to Write Prompts That Work
Introduction

Before You Start Reading This

This guide will teach you to build a real, live web application using artificial intelligence as your developer.

We'll build a specific example together: a Client Proposal Generator with a Mini CRM — a tool that creates professional proposals using AI, tracks your deals, and sends emails to clients. It's a real product people pay for.

But here's what matters most: The example is just the vehicle.

The skills, process, and exact steps you learn apply to any web app you want to build. A booking system. A membership site. A tool that solves the exact problem you've been thinking about. You are not locked into our example. You are learning a process.

What You'll Actually Be Doing

You'll be having conversations. That's it.

Instead of learning to write code, you'll learn to describe what you want clearly and precisely. Claude Code — your AI developer — does the rest. It writes the files, creates the database, connects the services, and deploys your app to the internet.

Your job is to know what you want. Claude's job is to build it.

If you can write a clear email, you can work with Claude Code. The skill you're developing isn't programming — it's communication.
Step 0

Plan Before You Build

Here's the honest truth about why most AI-built apps fail before they start: people jump straight to building without knowing exactly what they're building.

You open Claude Code, type "build me an app," and 3 hours later you have something that half-works, doesn't do what you imagined, and requires starting over. This isn't a Claude problem. It's a planning problem.

The fix is simple: write a PRD before you write a single line of code.

What's a PRD?

A PRD (Product Requirements Document) is just a clear, structured description of what you're building. It's not a 40-page corporate document — it's a 1-2 page answer to: what is this app, who uses it, what does it do, and what does it NOT do.

The PRD becomes the foundation your AI developer works from. Without it, Claude Code is guessing. With it, every chapter of this guide becomes twice as fast.

How to Create Your PRD

Open Claude (claude.ai) or ChatGPT — whichever you're comfortable with. Both work perfectly. Then copy and paste this exact prompt:

📋 Copy this prompt
I want to build a web app and need your help creating a simple PRD (Product Requirements Document) that I'll use to guide an AI coding assistant. Before writing the PRD, ask me clarifying questions about my idea until you have enough to write it well. Important constraints — the PRD must be designed for this exact tech stack: - Frontend: Next.js 14 with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS - Database + Auth: Supabase - Deployment: Vercel - Emails: Resend - Payments: Stripe (subscription model) - Rate limiting: Upstash Redis - AI features: Anthropic Claude API The PRD should include: 1. App name and one-sentence description 2. The problem it solves 3. Who uses it (target user) 4. Core features (max 5 — keep it focused) 5. Database tables needed (simple list) 6. User flows (what happens step by step) 7. Pricing model (free tier + paid plan) 8. What this app does NOT do (scope boundaries) Keep it practical and concise. No fluff. I'm a non-technical founder building this myself with AI assistance.
The AI will ask you questions before writing the PRD. Answer them honestly and in plain language. The more specific you are, the better the output.

→ The full Step 0 includes a complete PRD example for the Proposal Generator app, and instructions for turning your PRD into your project's CLAUDE.md memory file. Continue reading inside the guide.

Chapter 01 · Part One: Setup

Opening Your Terminal

Everything in this guide happens in the Terminal — a text-based interface where you type commands and your computer executes them.

It sounds intimidating. It's actually simpler than it sounds.

Think of it like texting your computer. You type what you want. Your computer does it.

On Mac:

  1. Press ⌘ + Space to open Spotlight
  2. Type "Terminal"
  3. Press Enter

You'll see a window with a blinking cursor. That's it. That's the Terminal.

On Windows:

Windows requires one extra step: installing WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). This gives your Windows computer a Linux environment, which is what professional developers use.

  1. Click the Start button
  2. Search for "PowerShell"
  3. Right-click PowerShell → "Run as administrator"
  4. Type this command and press Enter: wsl --install
  5. Wait for installation to complete (~5-10 minutes)
  6. Restart your computer when prompted
  7. After restart, open "Ubuntu" from your Start menu
  8. Create a username and password when prompted
From this point forward, all instructions are identical whether you're on Mac or Windows. When we say "open Terminal," Mac users open Terminal, Windows users open Ubuntu.
You have a Terminal window open with a blinking cursor. That's all you need for now.
Chapter 07 · Part Two: Working with Claude Code

How to Write Prompts That Work

The quality of what Claude Code builds is almost entirely determined by how clearly you describe what you want.

The most common mistake: being too vague.

❌ TOO VAGUE

"Make a form for proposals"

✅ SPECIFIC

"Create a proposal form at /dashboard/proposals/new with these exact fields: Client Name (dropdown), Project Title (text), Description (textarea), Timeline (dropdown: 1-2 weeks / 1 month / 2-3 months), Budget (dropdown). When submitted, call /api/proposals/generate. Show a loading spinner."

The second prompt tells Claude: what to build, where it lives, what goes in it, what happens when used, and how it should look.

The 3 Conversations You'll Have Constantly

1. "Build this for me"

Use when you want something new.

Build [name of feature]. Here's how it should work: - When the user does [action], [this happens] - The page should show [content] - Connect it to [table/endpoint] - Match our existing style

2. "Something broke"

Use when something isn't working.

I'm getting this error: [paste the EXACT error text] The file where this happens: [filename] What I expected: [description] What's actually happening: [description] Fix it.
Always paste the exact error message. Copy it from your terminal. Don't paraphrase it. The specific wording and numbers in an error contain diagnostic information that Claude needs.

3. "Help me understand"

Use when you want to understand what was built — not to change it, just to know what you have.

Explain what [this feature/file/function] does. Assume I'm not a developer. Plain English only.

Adapting These Prompts to Your Own App

Every prompt in this guide references our example app (the Proposal Generator). If you're building something different, simply replace the relevant parts. Where we say "proposal," use your concept. Where we describe our specific tables and fields, use your own. The structure never changes — only the words do.

The remaining 15 chapters walk through every feature — dashboard, AI generation, email, payments, deployment, troubleshooting — with the exact same copy-paste prompt format you just learned.

The rest is inside.

19 more chapters. Every prompt included. Build something real this weekend.

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