Start with inspiration. What feeling do you want to create? Picture the colors, the mood, the energy.
const vibe = {
mood: 'energetic',
colors: ['purple', 'blue'],
feeling: 'magical'
};
Rough out the basic HTML structure. Don't overthink it—just get the skeleton in place.
<div class="container">
<header>Hero Section</header>
<main>Content</main>
<footer>Footer</footer>
</div>
Bring in those gradient backgrounds and color schemes. Let the aesthetics flow naturally.
background: linear-gradient(135deg,
#667eea 0%,
#764ba2 100%);
Add borders, shadows, spacing. Make it breathe. Trust your eye—if it looks good, it is good.
box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);
border-radius: 20px;
padding: 40px;
Add smooth transitions and hover effects. Make it feel alive and responsive to interaction.
transition: all 0.3s ease;
:hover {
transform: translateY(-2px);
box-shadow: 0 8px 25px rgba(...);
}
Add JavaScript for interactivity. Keep it simple, keep it smooth, keep the vibe going.
element.addEventListener('click', () => {
element.classList.toggle('active');
updateProgress();
});
Step back, adjust, refine. Add those finishing touches that make it uniquely yours.
/* Final touches */
- Responsive breakpoints
- Accessibility features
- Performance optimization
Identify the ONE core feature that solves a real problem. Strip away everything else. What's the absolute minimum that delivers value?
const mvp = {
coreFeature: 'User authentication',
userFlow: 'Sign up → Use feature → Get value',
timeToValue: '< 2 minutes',
niceToHaves: [] // Ship these later!
};
Connect to a simple backend. Use Firebase, Supabase, or a serverless API. Keep it lean and functional.
// Example: Supabase setup
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'
const supabase = createClient(
process.env.SUPABASE_URL,
process.env.SUPABASE_KEY
);
Add user accounts with OAuth (Google, GitHub) or magic links. Make sign-up frictionless—no 20-field forms!
// Magic link authentication
const { error } = await supabase.auth.signInWithOtp({
email: userEmail,
options: {
emailRedirectTo: 'https://yourapp.com/dashboard'
}
});
Add Stripe for payments. Start with one simple plan. You can add tiers later. Make it easy to pay you!
// Stripe checkout
const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
line_items: [{
price: 'price_monthly_plan',
quantity: 1
}],
mode: 'subscription',
success_url: 'https://yourapp.com/success'
});
Track what matters: signups, conversions, feature usage. Use Plausible, PostHog, or simple event tracking.
// Simple event tracking
function trackEvent(eventName, properties) {
fetch('/api/analytics', {
method: 'POST',
body: JSON.stringify({ eventName, properties })
});
}
Push to production! Use Vercel, Netlify, or Railway. Get a custom domain. Share it with your first 10 users.
# Deploy to Vercel
vercel --prod
# Or Netlify
netlify deploy --prod
# Your SaaS is LIVE! 🎉
Share on Twitter, Reddit, Product Hunt, Indie Hackers. Build in public. Talk to users. Iterate fast based on feedback.
const launchChecklist = [
'🐦 Tweet about launch',
'📝 Write launch post',
'💬 Join relevant communities',
'📧 Email your network',
'🎯 Target early adopters',
'👂 Listen to feedback'
];