How to Build a Web Application from Scratch

I built a full MVP in 90 minutes using AI. Here's the exact process. Most developers using Cursor are doing it completely wrong. They jump straight into React or Next.js, feed the AI some vague requirements, and wonder why they get spaghetti code that breaks every time they make a change. I used to do the same thing. Spent weeks wrestling with AI-generated components that looked good initially but fell apart the moment I needed to iterate. The secret isn't better prompts or newer AI models. It's the foundation you build BEFORE the AI starts coding. Here's my exact 2-hour MVP process Step 1: Validate the idea first Don't code anything until you know people actually want it. Talk to users, confirm the pain point exists. Step 2: Create a Product Requirements Document Write out exactly what you're building. Features, user flows, success criteria. Give the AI context, not confusion. Step 3: Build in pure HTML first No frameworks. No complexity. Just structure the app exactly how you want it. Get the bones right. Step 4: Layer on CSS with AI assistance Now make it beautiful. Use AI to create a design system in JSON format. Feed it screenshots of designs you love. Step 5: Apply the design to your HTML structure Perfect the visual foundation. Colors, typography, spacing. Make it pixel-perfect. Step 6: Convert to any framework instantly Want iOS? Have Cursor convert to Swift. Want web? Convert to Next.js. The foundation is solid, so the conversion is clean. Heres my takeaway from this process. 90-minute MVPs instead of 2-week disasters Clean, maintainable code that actually works Zero framework wrestling or component hell Ability to pivot platforms without rebuilding The magic happens when you build the foundation first. Most developers skip this step and wonder why their AI-generated code is a mess. Structure beats speed every time. I've used this methodology to build 3 successful prototypes, and it's literally the foundation of what I'm building with Precursor - automating this exact workflow for developers. What's your biggest frustration when building with AI tools like Cursor?

More thoughts on Claude Code, prompted by Laura F. (thanks!): This is how I get higher quality results from Claude. By default, agentic / "vibe" coding can give you "good enough" code that gets the job done, but might be hard to maintain. Good software design and guidance to the AI is the key - AKA good software leadership 😄 The method I use is a modified form of what I do in my day job. I was a startup CTO for 10 years and have been an enterprise tech executive for the last 5. This approach delivers results, with people or AI! 1. Build a detailed high level design that describes the application and its major components, what major technical choices you want to make, and why. Include constraints and reasoning for decision making. 2. Validate the design with engineering spikes as necessary. Save the spikes for later reference and document your learnings. 3. Use the data you collected along with public documentation to build a series of low level designs, one per major component or system in the product. Validate the hell out of these designs! Make sure they clarify technical details of what needs to be built and that they show particularly tricky algorithms or technical choices in the design. Include diagrams, data designs, UX design, and a testing strategy. This phase is the most critical one to get right! When the context window gets compacted, these docs bring the AI back up to speed. 4. Build a project plan and break the work into milestones and sprints. Make sure the build order is correct. 5. Start building, but write tests first! Claude will default to just build code. Be clear that tests must come first, so you can know if you're moving in the right direction and not introduce regressions. You'll need to remind the AI throughout the process on this one. 6. Have Claude check what it's built against the low-level design docs frequently. Claude will diverge from the plan! You will also probably find that you want to change the plan. When you do, take the time to update the design docs. These docs are the beating heart of your product. They're truth, keep them true. 7. Iterate 😄 It'll take some time but this formula is working for me. Pro tip: When Claude gets stuck (throwing ideas at the wall, going in circles): Switch to plan mode, have it look up docs / blogs and see what others are doing. Or, start a fresh session. Sometimes Claude gets tunnel vision. I'd love to learn your tips too! 🎉

 In 2025, Web Development isn’t just limited to jQuery, Bootstrap, PHP, and WordPress. Everything Has Changed, so much. Modern frameworks, component-based UIs, and serverless architectures are shaping the future.  If I were starting as a junior web developer today, this is exactly how I’d approach it.  Step 1: The Basics (But With a Modern Mindset)   HTML & CSS → Learn enough to build structured, responsive layouts. Don’t try to "master" CSS just get comfortable.   Modern JavaScript (ES6+) → Async/Await, Promises, Event Loop, Closures, and DOM manipulation. You don’t need jQuery modern JS can do everything it did.   Tailwind CSS → If you want to speed up styling, Tailwind is the go-to framework. Bootstrap is still useful for quick prototyping, but Tailwind offers more flexibility.  Step 2: Get Hands-On With JavaScript  🔹 DOM Manipulation → Understand how to update UI dynamically.  🔹 Event Handling → Learn how user interactions work.  🔹 Asynchronous JavaScript → Fetch API, WebSockets, and handling async data.  🔹 Basic Data Storage → Use LocalStorage & SessionStorage for small key-value pairs. Use IndexedDB for persistent, structured data storage in offline-ready apps.   Step 3: Learn Frontend Development That Gets You Hired  🔹 React.js → Start with components, props, and state. Learn hooks and the context API.  🔹 Next.js → Move beyond React and learn file-based routing, SSR (Server-Side Rendering), and API routes.  🔹 Web Performance Optimization → Lazy loading, prefetching, and reducing bundle sizes.  🔹 TypeScript → Strongly recommended. It reduces bugs and is becoming standard in frontend development.   Step 4: Backend Development That Works  If you're learning the backend for the first time, start simple.  🔹 Node.js + Express → Understand API creation, middleware, and authentication basics.  🔹 Databases   ✅ MongoDB (NoSQL) if you prefer flexibility, great for JSON-based data. ✅ PostgreSQL (SQL) if you want structured, relational data.  🔹 Prisma ORM → Makes database handling easy.  🔹 Authentication → Use Clerk/Auth.js instead of writing login flows from scratch.   Step 5: Dev Tools That Make Your Life Easier  🔹 Git & GitHub → You need version control, period.  🔹 Vite → A faster alternative to Webpack for modern frontend projects.  🔹 Postman → For testing APIs.  🔹 Docker & CI/CD → Basics of containerization and deployment.  Continued in Comments ↓