How I Built a Complete Web App in Just 1 Day

Technology is always evolving, and this is especially true in the field of programming. Through my 8 years of experience (actually closer to 12 years, because I've literally programmed every day), I saw a clear pattern in the programming trend.

The process of programming is getting faster and faster. When I started programming, JavaScript was still in its infancy and was quite shaky and weird to use — back when var was still a thing.

Developing functionality with JavaScript was quite time-consuming back then. Then came frameworks and libraries like React and Vue, which made adding functionality much easier. This also led to more web applications being developed.

And now we have AI, of course, which has accelerated everything. People can now develop a complete web app in a fraction of the time. I've personally discovered this after using AI in my work processes.

In this tutorial, I'll explain how I do it and what the entire process involves. There are 6 steps in total that I follow to really create a web app at lightning speed that works, is functional, and goes live.

If you don't believe me: we're going to talk about this project in this article.

Live link: https://tweet.snelstack.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/LaupWing/nextjs-blog-to-tweet-repurpose

The project I created generates high-performing short-form social media content from my blog posts. You can log in and it saves the generated social media posts.

So without further ado, here is step number 1.

#1 Know the Problem

Whether it's a brand new project or a project you're going to refactor: it's always about solving problems. You can build a web app, but if you're adding features that have nothing to do with the problem you want to solve, you're just wasting time.

The fact that programming is now 10x faster doesn't mean you should deviate from the path.

Always know what problem you're solving. Whether the problem is large-scale or small-scale like a feature: always know what problem you're tackling. But if your large-scale problem is already wrong, then all those small-scale problems don't even matter anymore.

My web application solves a real problem: repurposing blogs for social media. The advantage of this is that you can link to your blog post to get more attention. More attention means more visitors and thus potentially more customers.

#2 Know the Fundamentals

I keep saying it and I'm honestly going to write a whole separate article about this. If you don't know the basics of programming, you won't get anywhere. The number of people who have Dunning-Kruger syndrome nowadays is ridiculous.

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect? Another term for this is "Mount Stupid": you think you're good at something, but you're actually just a beginner. Because of AI, the average person thinks they know how to build a web app, but they don't see the small nuances.

They might get a small part of the website done, but as soon as they run into an error, it stops there. And then they have to come to me.

The fact remains that you need to know what you're doing. AI can write code for you, but you still need to think and steer it. Think of it like a car with cruise control: the car drives, but you still need to steer and know where you're going.

#3 Use the Right Tools

Okay, now we move on to the practical part. What tools do I use? So far, I've tried most tools and I've settled on this combination that works best for me:

Claude Code to actually build the project and v0 to scaffold the beginning.

My workflow looks like this:

1. Search and tweak design — I look for a design that fits well with the project, whether it's on Dribbble or ThemeForest (now Envato I think). Then I take a screenshot of the design.

2. v0 for the foundation — I put that screenshot into v0 and generate a starting point with React code. I keep prompting in v0 until I have a nice brand-specific project.

3. Laravel setup — Then I download the project and create a new project with Laravel (the best framework, especially for AI I think). I put the v0 project in a folder called design as reference.

4. Claude Code for the rest — Then I use Claude Code to create the other pages and specific components, using the design folder as reference. I create all UI components first with boilerplate data or placeholder data before moving on.

And yes, here too: you need to master the basic fundamentals of styling to execute this well. Fortunately, I understand this because I've made more than 500 projects and also did a design education.

#4 Data Structure

After I have a rough version of the project with styling and boilerplate data — and I'm really satisfied with how it looks — I develop the data structure with Laravel.

The reason I do this is simple: often enough the UI/UX leads the backend. That's what I've experienced anyway. So if you're satisfied with the UI/UX, then that leads the data structure.

This wasn't so convenient before, because UI/UX just took a very long time to develop. But AI has changed the process. You can now have a complete frontend in a few hours and only then think about your database schema.

My approach:

• See what data you need on each page
• Determine the relationships between your models
• Create your migrations and models with Claude Code
• Replace the boilerplate data with real database queries

This ensures that your data structure fits exactly what your frontend needs — no superfluous fields, no missing data.

#5 Write Tests (Optional)

I'll be honest: I don't always write tests for every project. It depends on the scope and how critical the application is.

For side projects or MVPs, I often skip tests to maintain speed. But for production applications or projects that need to last long, tests are essential.

What I always do:

• Manual testing of the happy path
• Edge cases checking for forms and authentication
• Feature tests for critical functionality as the app grows

With AI, you can also quickly generate tests. Claude Code can write corresponding tests based on your code. So even if you "don't have time" for tests, that excuse is much less valid nowadays.

#6 Go Live

This is where many developers get stuck. They have a working project locally, but going live feels like a mountain.

My biggest tip: use managed hosting like Laravel Forge or Ploi. This saves you so much time and headaches. Yes, it costs money, but this article is about saving time — and time is money.

With Forge:

• Server setup in minutes
• Automatic deployments via Git
• SSL certificates with one click
• Database backups arranged

The alternative is setting up a server yourself with Nginx, PHP, MySQL, SSL, firewalls... You're spending hours on something Forge does in 10 minutes.

And don't forget: a project that doesn't go live, doesn't exist. Better to go live quickly with 80% of the features than never live with 100%.

Conclusion

Building web apps has fundamentally changed because of AI. What used to take weeks can now be done in days or even hours.

But — and this is important — AI is an accelerator, not a replacement. You still need to:

1. Understand the problem you're solving
2. Know the fundamentals to steer AI properly
3. Choose the right tools for your workflow
4. Think about data structure instead of blindly generating code
5. Test where necessary
6. Deploy without endlessly postponing

The developers who understand this and use AI as a tool instead of a crutch are going to deliver enormous value in the coming years.

Do you have questions about my workflow or want me to go deeper into something? Let me know.