Create a small local Next.js project from an empty folder with Cursor, learn how to run and inspect it, and save a private version-controlled baseline before adding real features.
Source episode · 15:00
How I AI: A Beginner's Guide to Coding with AI—Build Your First Project Hubwith Claire Vo
Claire abandons an overbuilt first prototype, opens an empty folder in Cursor, asks its agent for a minimal Next.js document-and-prototype hub, runs it locally, and saves the first version with GitHub Desktop.
A local app that starts reliably, displays the intended document and prototype sections, explains its basic structure, and has a clean initial commit with no secrets.
AI-first code editor
Step by step
Follow the sequence once, then adapt the prompts, checks, and handoffs to your own setup.
5 steps
Install Cursor, a supported Node.js version, npm, and GitHub Desktop. Create a new empty folder, open it in Cursor, and confirm the terminal points to that folder.
Using the 'Agents' view in Cursor 2.0 helps you focus on high-level instructions rather than getting lost in individual files, making it perfect for beginners.
Give Cursor a minimal product brief and ask it to scaffold the app, install dependencies, add a README, and avoid authentication, databases, deployment, and extra features.
Create a minimal Next.js app in this empty folder. It has two sections: Markdown documents from a docs directory and simple prototype routes from a prototypes directory. Add one sample of each, clear local run instructions, and a sensible .gitignore. Do not add authentication, a database, analytics, deployment, or unrelated features. Run the basic project checks.
Ask the agent to explain the exact setup and run commands, then inspect package.json and README so you know what each command does.
Explain how to install dependencies and run this app locally. Point to the package.json scripts, expected local URL, how to stop the server, and the first places I should look if it fails.
Run the install and development commands in Cursor’s terminal. Open the reported local URL, confirm both sections render, and save any terminal error before asking the agent for a focused repair.
npm run dev
Create a private repository in GitHub Desktop, inspect the changed-file list and .gitignore, make a descriptive initial commit, and publish it privately. Do not include .env files, credentials, node_modules, or build output.
Turn an idea into a PRD, user stories, and a plan.
After the steps
How to recover when the loop fails and where human judgment helps.
Recover
Keep building
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