The Modern AI Developer Stack
| Tool | Purpose | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Next.js | Framework | Full-stack web framework for UI + API routes |
| v0.dev | Design to Code | Generate UI layouts from natural language |
| Shadcn UI | Component Library | Pre-built, accessible, theme-ready components |
| Cursor | IDE | AI-powered code editor with inline chat |
| Claude Code | CLI Agent | AI copilot for your terminal |
| GitHub | Version Control | Save, share, and collaborate on code |
| Vercel | Hosting | Deploy your app live in seconds |
| Supabase | Auth + Database | Open-source Firebase alternative |
| Stripe | Payments | Add payments and subscriptions later |
| Resend | Emails | Send transactional and marketing emails |
| AI SDK | AI Features | Add AI prompts, chat, or models in-app |
Start with a PRD
Before touching any tools, use AI to generate a Product Requirements Document. This gives you and your AI coding partner clarity on what you're building.
PRD generation prompt
I'm building a Next.js app that enables me to write and publish blog posts. I need you to generate a simple PRD document to help steer the development.
The core pages will be:
- Landing page
- Dashboard
- Blogs
- Blog page
- Auth
The dashboard is the protected part of the app where blogs are created and managed.Example PRD Structure
A good PRD for prototyping includes:
- Overview — What you're building and why
- Goals — 3-5 clear objectives
- Core Pages & Features — What each screen does
- Integrations — External services (Supabase, Stripe, etc.)
- User Flows — How users move through the app
- Data Model — What you're storing (Users, Posts, etc.)
- Milestones — MVP vs future features
You're not 'learning to code' — you're learning to build with AI partners. The PRD is your shared language.