Session Details
Each session combines explanation with hands-on building. You learn by doing, not by watching slides.
Setup & Core Build
You'll go from nothing to a working application with user accounts, a database, and real pages in a single session.
Environment Setup
- Open the template project in a cloud development environment (everything pre-installed, no software to download)
- Connect Claude Code — your AI developer (sign in and authenticate)
- Connect Supabase — your database (link AI directly to your database so it manages everything)
- Run the setup validation (ask Claude to check everything works before building)
Core Application Build
- User registration and login (sign up, sign in, sign out)
- Create the projects database (tables, columns, security — all through AI)
- Build the projects list page (add, view, and search projects)
- Navigation and layout (proper app structure with pages and a nav bar)
Concepts Introduced
- What a repository is — a folder for your project, backed up online
- What a database is — like a collection of spreadsheets your app reads and writes
- What authentication means — how your app knows who someone is
How Software Connects
Understand how apps talk to each other, how your data is structured, and wire up email so your app can reach the real world.
APIs — Apps Talking to Apps
- What an API is and why it matters (the "menu" that lets your app order from other services)
- HTTP verbs in plain English: GET = "give me", POST = "here's new", PUT = "update", DELETE = "remove"
- API keys and environment variables (your personal pass to use a service)
- Status codes: 200 = worked, 400 = you asked wrong, 500 = their system broke
Database Relationships
- How tables connect to each other (one project → many tasks, one project → many tags)
- Row Level Security (how the database ensures users only see their own data)
- Looking at your data in the Supabase dashboard
Hands-On Build
- Set up Resend and configure the API key
- Add a "Send test email" button — watch the email arrive
- Add tags and categories to projects
- Build a filter sidebar to view projects by tag
- Add dated notes/updates to each project
AI Mastery & Feature Building
Learn to communicate effectively with AI, iterate on results, and build sophisticated features through conversation.
Effective AI Communication
- Writing prompts that produce good results (be specific, describe the experience, give examples)
- The iterate-refine workflow (first prompt rarely equals perfect — refine, adjust, guide)
- Reading errors without panicking (copy the error, paste it to Claude, say "fix this")
- When to push forward vs. start fresh
Design & UX Basics
- What makes an app feel "finished" (consistent colours, spacing, clear buttons)
- Responsive design — phone vs. laptop
- Empty states and edge cases
Hands-On Build
- Add task management within each project (create, complete, reorder tasks)
- Add due date reminders — set a date, get an email notification via Resend
- Build a dashboard: total projects, active vs completed, upcoming deadlines, progress overview
- Polish the entire app to look professional
- Test on mobile and fix anything that breaks
Billing & Payments (Conceptual)
- Overview of how payment APIs work (Stripe vs GoCardless)
- When to use card payments vs direct debit
- How to add payments to your own app later (reference guide provided)
Production Deployment
Take your app from something only you can see to something anyone can visit.
How the Internet Works (Enough)
- What a server is (just another computer, running 24/7, connected to the internet)
- Domain names and DNS (how "myapp.com" points to your server)
- HTTPS and SSL (the padlock in the browser — encrypted connections, handled automatically)
- Environment variables in production (your secrets need to exist on the server too)
Hands-On Deployment
- Create a DigitalOcean account (~£5/month)
- Deploy to App Platform (connect GitHub, watch it build)
- Configure production environment variables
- End-to-end test: sign up, create projects, add tasks, set reminders, receive emails
- Optional: connect a custom domain
30-Day Independent Build
You've seen the full journey. Now build your own idea from scratch, with guidance when you need it.
Suggested Timeline
Plan your app. What does it do? Who's it for? What pages does it need? Share with me for feedback before building.
Build core features. Get the main functionality working. Don't worry about design yet.
Polish and add secondary features. Make it look good, test thoroughly.
Deploy, test with real users, fix remaining issues.
What Support Looks Like
- 4 × 30-minute support calls bookable via Calendly
- Async messaging for quick questions between calls
- Additional calls available at £50 each
- Honest guidance about what's feasible and what needs a different approach
Software is unpredictable. Part of the learning is understanding what's easy, what's hard, and when to simplify. This isn't an unlimited development service — it's guided mentorship to help you become self-sufficient.