How to vibe codeMailcoach

Prerequisites

• 

  PHPfree

  Required runtime for executing the Laravel application framework.

• 

  Composerfree

  Dependency manager for PHP and Laravel packages.

• Node.jsfree

  Required for compiling frontend assets and running Tailwind CSS.

• GitHubfree

  Version control and repository hosting.

AI coding tools

• Claude Code

  Executes multi-file changes across Laravel controllers, migrations, and Blade/Livewire views directly in your terminal.

• Cursor

  Enables precise inline editing and debugging of complex queue jobs and template renderers.

Build guide

1. 01Scaffold Laravel Core & Database Schema

   Initialize a fresh Laravel application, configure database connections, and create migrations for contacts, tags, campaigns, and subscriber relations.

   Create a new Laravel project named 'mailcoach-clone' using Composer. Configure the environment to use a local MySQL or SQLite database. Generate database migrations and Eloquent models for: 'contacts' (fields: email, first_name, last_name, status, custom_fields as JSON), 'tags' (name, slug), 'contact_tag' pivot table, 'campaigns' (title, subject, content, status, scheduled_at), and 'email_sends' (campaign_id, contact_id, status, opened_at, clicked_at). Ensure foreign key constraints and proper indexing on email addresses and status fields. Write comprehensive database seeders for testing.

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2. 02Build Contact Management & CSV Import

   Implement contact list management, custom fields, tagging, and bulk CSV import logic with proper validation.

   Build the Contact Management subsystem in Laravel. Create a ContactController with methods to list, view, create, update, and delete subscribers. Implement a CSV import feature that accepts a file upload, parses rows asynchronously using Laravel Job batches, handles duplicate email checks, and attaches selected tags. Build a clean Tailwind CSS dashboard layout showing list statistics, segmented views by tags, and suppression list management for unsubscribed or bounced contacts.

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3. 03Campaign Editor & Markdown/HTML Compilation

   Implement campaign creation with support for Markdown and HTML templates, variable substitution placeholders, and pre-send checklists.

   Implement the Campaign module allowing users to draft email campaigns with a subject line and body content supporting Markdown and raw HTML. Add dynamic placeholder replacement (e.g., {{first_name}}, {{email}}) parsing subscriber attributes. Build a pre-send checklist screen verifying that the campaign has a valid subject, at least one recipient segment, and a test email preview function that sends a rendered sample to the authenticated user.

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4. 04Asynchronous Queue Dispatcher & Delivery Integration

   Set up Laravel queue workers, batch sending jobs, rate limiting, and integration with Resend or Amazon SES for outbound delivery.

   Create a robust email dispatching pipeline using Laravel Queues. Implement a 'SendCampaignJob' that chunks recipients and dispatches individual 'SendCampaignEmailJob' tasks through a configured mailer driver (Resend or SES API). Add rate-limiting and retry logic to prevent provider throttling. Record each dispatch attempt in the 'email_sends' table with unique tracking identifiers for analytics.

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5. 05Tracking Pixels, Click Wrappers & Webhooks

   Build tracking endpoints for open pixels and link redirect wrappers, alongside webhook listeners for provider bounce and complaint events.

   Implement email engagement tracking. Create a transparent 1x1 tracking pixel route (/track/open/{uuid}) that logs email opens and updates 'opened_at' timestamps without breaking email rendering. Build a link redirect wrapper route (/track/click/{uuid}?url=...) that rewrites campaign links, records click events, and redirects users to their target destination. Finally, build an incoming webhook controller (/api/webhooks/ses or /resend) to automatically process delivery failures, bounces, and spam complaints, updating contact statuses to 'bounced' or 'complained'.

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6. 06Transactional API & Documentation

   Create a developer-friendly API endpoint for sending single transactional emails with token authentication.

   Build a token-authenticated API endpoint (/api/v1/send) for transactional email dispatching. The endpoint should accept recipient email, subject, html content, and optional metadata. Validate requests using Laravel Sanctum, queue the transactional email immediately for high-priority delivery, and return a JSON response with a unique message identifier. Document the API endpoints with clear request/response examples in a dedicated settings view.

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Cost vs paying for Mailcoach