App Builder Track
Build real web applications with modern frameworks! This track teaches you full-stack development through hands-on projects with Claude Code guiding you every step of the way.
What You'll Build
- Task Manager App (Next.js + TypeScript)
- Weather Dashboard (React + API Integration)
- Blog Platform (Full-stack with database)
- Python REST API (FastAPI)
What You'll Learn
- Plan and architect applications
- Build with Next.js and React
- Style with Tailwind CSS
- Work with databases and APIs
- Deploy to production
- Use Claude Code for rapid development
Prerequisites
- Completed Start Here track
- Basic HTML/CSS/JavaScript knowledge (or willingness to learn with Claude!)
- Git configured and working
- Node.js installed
Time Required
6-8 hours to complete all projects
Project 1: Task Manager with Next.js
Overview
Build a modern task management application using Next.js 14, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS. This project introduces you to React components, state management, and local storage.
Features
- Create, edit, and delete tasks
- Organize with categories
- โฐ Set due dates
- Mark tasks as complete
- ๐พ Persist data in local storage
- ๐ฑ Fully responsive design
Step 1: Project Setup
Ask Claude Code:
Create a new Next.js 14 app for a task manager with:- TypeScript- Tailwind CSS- App Router- ESLint Set up the project structure with best practices.Expected structure:
task-manager/โโโ src/โ โโโ app/โ โ โโโ layout.tsxโ โ โโโ page.tsxโ โโโ components/โ โ โโโ TaskList.tsxโ โ โโโ TaskItem.tsxโ โ โโโ TaskForm.tsxโ โ โโโ FilterBar.tsxโ โโโ lib/โ โ โโโ types.tsโ โโโ hooks/โ โโโ useTasks.tsโโโ public/โโโ tailwind.config.jsโโโ package.jsonStep 2: Define Data Types
Create /src/lib/types.ts:
Ask Claude Code:
Define TypeScript types for a task manager:- Task interface with id, title, description, status, category, dueDate- Status type (pending, in-progress, completed)- Category typeStep 3: Build the Task Form Component
Ask Claude Code:
Create a TaskForm component that:1. Has inputs for title, description, category, due date2. Validates inputs3. Uses Tailwind for styling with a modern look4. Emits onSubmit event with task data5. Can be used for both creating and editing tasksStep 4: Create the Task List
Ask Claude Code:
Build a TaskList component that:1. Displays tasks in a grid/list view2. Shows task status with color coding3. Has hover effects and animations4. Includes delete and edit buttons5. Groups tasks by statusStep 5: Add State Management
Ask Claude Code:
Create a custom hook useTasks that:1. Manages task state (add, edit, delete, toggle)2. Persists to localStorage3. Loads from localStorage on mount4. Provides filter/sort functionalityStep 6: Build the Main Page
Ask Claude Code:
Create the main page that:1. Uses the useTasks hook2. Displays TaskForm and TaskList3. Implements filtering (All, Active, Completed)4. Shows task statistics (total, completed, pending)5. Has a clean, modern layout with TailwindStep 7: Add Styling and Polish
Ask Claude Code:
Enhance the app with:1. Smooth animations for add/remove/complete2. Dark mode support3. Loading states4. Empty states with helpful messages5. Responsive design for mobile/tablet/desktopStep 8: Deploy
Ask Claude Code:
Help me deploy my Next.js task manager to Vercel:1. Set up Vercel account2. Connect GitHub repository3. Configure build settings4. Deploy and testTesting Your App
Test these scenarios:
- Create multiple tasks
- Edit existing tasks
- Mark tasks as complete
- Delete tasks
- Refresh page (data persists)
- Filter by status
- Test on mobile device
Project 2: Weather Dashboard
Overview
Build an interactive weather dashboard that fetches real-time data from an API and displays it with beautiful charts and animations.
Features
- Current weather for any city
- 5-day forecast
- ๐ Temperature charts
- ๐ Multiple location support
- ๐จ Wind, humidity, and more details
- Dynamic backgrounds based on weather
Step 1: Setup and API Key
Ask Claude Code:
Help me set up a React + Vite project for a weather dashboard.I'll use the OpenWeatherMap API. 1. Create the project with TypeScript2. Install dependencies (axios, recharts, lucide-react)3. Show me how to get a free API key from OpenWeatherMap4. Set up environment variables for the API keyStep 2: Create API Service
Ask Claude Code:
Create a weather API service that:1. Fetches current weather by city name2. Fetches 5-day forecast3. Handles errors gracefully4. Uses TypeScript types for API responses5. Includes loading statesStep 3: Build Weather Display Components
Ask Claude Code:
Create components for:1. CurrentWeather - Shows temp, condition, icon, city name2. ForecastCard - Displays single day forecast3. ForecastList - Shows 5-day forecast4. WeatherDetails - Wind, humidity, pressure, etc.5. SearchBar - Input for city search Use Tailwind CSS with a modern, glassmorphism design.Step 4: Add Data Visualization
Ask Claude Code:
Add a temperature chart using Recharts that:1. Shows hourly temperatures for the next 24 hours2. Uses a gradient line chart3. Has responsive sizing4. Matches the app's color schemeStep 5: Implement Dynamic Backgrounds
Ask Claude Code:
Create dynamic backgrounds that change based on:1. Weather condition (sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy)2. Time of day (day/night)3. Use CSS gradients and animations4. Smooth transitions between statesStep 6: Add Multiple Cities
Ask Claude Code:
Implement:1. Save favorite cities to localStorage2. Display multiple city cards3. Quick switch between cities4. Remove cities from favoritesStep 7: Polish and Deploy
Ask Claude Code:
Add finishing touches:1. Loading skeletons2. Error messages with retry3. Animations for weather changes4. Mobile-responsive design5. Deploy to Netlify or VercelProject 3: Blog Platform (Full-Stack)
Overview
Build a complete blog platform with authentication, database, and CRUD operations. Learn full-stack development with Next.js and PostgreSQL.
Features
- Create, edit, delete blog posts
- ๐ค User authentication
- ๐ฌ Comments system
- Tags and categories
- Search functionality
- ๐ฑ Responsive design
Tech Stack
- Frontend: Next.js 14, TypeScript, Tailwind
- Backend: Next.js API Routes
- Database: PostgreSQL (via Supabase)
- Auth: NextAuth.js
- ORM: Prisma
Project Overview
Ask Claude Code:
Guide me through building a blog platform with:- Next.js for frontend and API- Supabase for database and auth- Prisma for database ORM- Markdown support for posts- Image uploads Walk me through the complete setup.Database Schema
Ask Claude Code:
Help me design a database schema for a blog with:- Users (id, email, name, avatar)- Posts (id, title, content, author, published, createdAt)- Comments (id, content, author, post, createdAt)- Tags (id, name)- PostTags (relationship table) Create the Prisma schema.Authentication Setup
Ask Claude Code:
Set up NextAuth.js with:1. Email/password authentication2. Google OAuth3. Protected routes4. Session management5. User profile pageBuild Post Editor
Ask Claude Code:
Create a rich text editor for blog posts:1. Markdown support2. Preview mode3. Auto-save drafts4. Image upload5. Tags selector6. Publish/draft toggleDeploy with Database
Ask Claude Code:
Help me deploy the blog to Vercel with:1. Supabase database connection2. Environment variables setup3. Database migrations4. Production build optimizationProject 4: Python REST API with FastAPI
Overview
Build a professional REST API using Python's FastAPI framework with database integration, authentication, and auto-generated documentation.
Features
- Fast, async API endpoints
- ๐ JWT authentication
- Auto-generated OpenAPI docs
- SQLite database
- Input validation with Pydantic
- ๐งช Unit tests
Step 1: Setup FastAPI
Ask Claude Code:
Create a FastAPI project for a product inventory API:1. Set up virtual environment2. Install FastAPI, uvicorn, SQLAlchemy, Pydantic3. Create project structure with best practices4. Set up basic app with one endpointStep 2: Database Models
Ask Claude Code:
Create SQLAlchemy models for:- Product (id, name, description, price, quantity, category)- Category (id, name, description)- User (id, email, hashed_password, is_active) Include relationships between models.Step 3: Pydantic Schemas
Ask Claude Code:
Create Pydantic schemas for:- ProductCreate, ProductUpdate, ProductResponse- UserCreate, UserLogin, UserResponse- CategoryCreate, CategoryResponse Include field validation (price > 0, email format, etc.)Step 4: CRUD Operations
Ask Claude Code:
Implement CRUD endpoints for products:- POST /products - Create product- GET /products - List all products (with pagination)- GET /products/{id} - Get single product- PUT /products/{id} - Update product- DELETE /products/{id} - Delete product Include proper HTTP status codes and error handling.Step 5: Authentication
Ask Claude Code:
Add JWT authentication:1. User registration endpoint2. Login endpoint (returns JWT token)3. Protected routes requiring authentication4. Password hashing with bcrypt5. Token verification middlewareStep 6: Documentation and Testing
Ask Claude Code:
1. Enhance OpenAPI docs with descriptions and examples2. Create pytest tests for all endpoints3. Add request/response examples4. Test authentication flowStep 7: Deploy API
Ask Claude Code:
Deploy the FastAPI to:- Railway.app or Render.com- Set up environment variables- Configure database- Test production endpointsBest Practices with Claude Code
Project Planning
Ask Claude Code:
Help me plan a web app for [your idea]:1. Suggest the best tech stack2. Break down features into milestones3. Identify potential challenges4. Recommend learning resourcesDebugging
Ask Claude Code:
I'm getting this error:[paste error message] In this code:[paste code] Help me understand and fix it.Code Review
Ask Claude Code:
Review this code for:- Best practices- Performance issues- Security concerns- Readability improvements [paste code]Deployment Help
Ask Claude Code:
Help me deploy my [framework] app to [platform]:1. What files/config do I need?2. How to set environment variables?3. Build commands4. Troubleshoot common issuesNext Steps
Advanced Projects
Once you've completed the core projects, try:
- E-commerce Platform - Shopping cart, payments, inventory
- Social Media App - Posts, follows, real-time updates
- Project Management Tool - Kanban boards, teams, analytics
- Chat Application - WebSockets, real-time messaging
Learn More
- Testing: Jest, Pytest, Playwright
- State Management: Redux, Zustand, React Query
- Authentication: OAuth, JWT, session management
- Real-time: WebSockets, Server-Sent Events
- DevOps: Docker, CI/CD, monitoring
Continue Learning
- Automation Track: Automate deployment and testing
- Data Analysis: Build data-driven features
- Git & GitHub: Advanced Git workflows
Resources
Frameworks
Deployment
Learning
- Frontend Mentor - Practice projects
- Full Stack Open - Free course
Start building! Pick a project and let Claude Code guide you through it. Remember: it's okay to make mistakes, ask questions, and iterate. That's how you learn!