How to vibe codeSoftr

Prerequisites

• Node.jsfree

  Runtime environment for developing the full-stack Next.js web application.

• GitHubfree

  Version control and repository hosting for the project codebase.

• Anthropic API Keypay-as-you-go

  Required for powering the AI Co-Builder prompt-to-app generation engine.

AI coding tools

• Claude Code

  Best-in-class agentic terminal coding tool for scaffolding complex multi-file Next.js architectures and managing iterative debugging loops.

• Cursor

  Ideal AI-native editor for inspecting UI block components, rendering diffs, and fine-tuning frontend responsiveness.

Build guide

1. 01Project Scaffolding and Database Schema

   Initialize the Next.js application with Tailwind CSS, configure Neon PostgreSQL via Drizzle ORM, and set up the core data models for workspaces, applications, UI block definitions, and database records.

   Initialize a new Next.js project with TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and App Router. Set up Drizzle ORM connected to a Neon PostgreSQL database. Define the database schema for multi-tenant workspaces, apps (id, name, slug, workspace_id), app_blocks (id, app_id, type, config_json, order_index), and generic database_records (id, app_id, table_name, data_json). Ensure all foreign keys have proper cascade deletes and indexes on app_id. Verify the database connection works with a test migration script.

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2. 02Authentication & Workspace Management

   Integrate better-auth for user management, secure session handling, and workspace member roles.

   Integrate better-auth into the Next.js app supporting email/password sign-in and Google OAuth. Create database tables for users, sessions, accounts, and workspace_members with roles (owner, admin, member). Build authentication pages (/sign-in, /sign-up) using Tailwind CSS and Shadcn UI components. Add middleware to protect dashboard routes and enforce workspace-level access control.

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3. 03AI App Co-Builder Engine

   Implement the AI prompt-to-app generation engine using the Vercel AI SDK and Anthropic Claude to generate application schemas and UI block layouts from natural language.

   Build an AI app co-builder feature using the Vercel AI SDK with Anthropic Claude. Create an API route (/api/ai/build-app) that accepts a natural language prompt describing a business app (e.g., 'CRM for real estate'). Using structured JSON output via Zod, prompt the LLM to generate an app title, an initial table schema with sample columns, and a sequence of UI blocks (header, list, form, table). Save the generated configuration directly into the apps, app_blocks, and database_records tables. Build a wizard UI on the dashboard where users can submit prompts and instantly spin up their custom app.

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4. 04Dynamic Component Rendering Engine

   Build the dynamic runtime UI renderer that reads block configurations from the database and renders functional tables, lists, cards, and data input forms.

   Build a dynamic page renderer for published apps at /app/[slug]. The renderer must fetch the app's block configurations and iterate through them, rendering corresponding React components: HeaderBlock, TableBlock, ListBlock, and FormBlock. Implement client-side filtering, sorting, and pagination for table blocks querying the underlying database records. Ensure form submissions securely validate against the table schema and insert new records into database_records.

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5. 05Permissions & User Groups

   Implement access control logic allowing workspace owners to define visibility rules and user group permissions for specific blocks and pages.

   Add role-based access control (RBAC) to the app builder. Create a permissions settings panel where app builders can restrict specific UI blocks to user groups (e.g., Logged-in users, Admin). Update the dynamic block renderer at /app/[slug] to evaluate user group membership before rendering each block or allowing form submissions. Return a fallback unauthorized state if access rules fail.

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6. 06Workflow Automation Runner

   Build a lightweight event-driven workflow engine to handle triggers (e.g., form submitted) and automated actions (e.g., sending notification logs).

   Build a simple workflow automation system. Create database tables for workflows (trigger_type, action_type, config_json). Implement a server-side event dispatcher triggered when form blocks successfully create records. Support workflow actions like sending mock emails or logging webhook payloads. Create a visual workflow editor page in the builder allowing users to wire triggers to actions.

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7. 07Custom Domain & Publishing Polish

   Add publishing controls, status badges, and custom domain mapping simulation for published apps.

   Add application publishing controls with a toggle for public vs. private status. Build a clean minimalist navigation header for published apps with an optional 'Built with Clone' badge on free tiers. Implement custom domain stub settings allowing workspace owners to map custom subdomains. Polish the dashboard with app analytics metrics (total records, active users, workflow executions).

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Cost vs paying for Softr