In the world of tech startups, there is an unspoken rule that you should always build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for your product. This is because it allows you to test your idea with real users and get feedback on what works and what doesn't. However, what happens in this new age of AI where the cost of production is lower than ever? I'm an early career software engineer and I've long wanted to build a product for the learning experience. I've been learning about AI and how it's changing the world of software development and I think it's time to start building something that I otherwise wouldn't be able to build.
As an example, I had procrastinated on building a personal website for a long time. I had a few reasons for this:
- I didn't have a clear vision for what I wanted my website to look like
- I didn't have the time to build it
- I didn't have the resources to hire a designer
However, I stumbled upon dozens of developers raving about Cursor. I decided to give it a shot and I was able to build a website and deploy it in a fraction of the time it would have taken me to build it myself. At the time of writing this, I've been using Cursor for 2 days and I've built one project with it -- This website. I'm not a designer and I don't have a lot of experience with React or Next.js as my niche is in the cloud and DevOps space, but I was able to build a website and a chatbot with it. How is this possible?
What is Cursor?
Cursor is an AI-powered coding assistant that uses LLMs to help you write code. It's not perfect, but it's a tool that can help you write code faster and more efficiently. It's not a replacement for a human developer, but can act as a force multiplier.
How can I use Cursor?
There are a few ways to use Cursor. You can use the website, the VS Code extension, or the Cursor app.
How does it work?
Cursor uses a LLM to help you write code. It's not perfect, but it's a nice developer tool that can help you write code faster and more efficiently.
What will I build?
In my next blog post, I'll be building an AI application that will allow you to create recipes based on the ingredients you have on hand. I'll be using a LLM to help me with the heavy lifting and I'll be using Cursor to help me write the code. I'll be deploying it on Vercel for free using the AI SDK.
I want to expand the depth of my knowledge on AI and software development. I want to be able to build something that is useful and interesting. I also want to be able to build something that is scalable and can be used by others. I believe that the best way to learn is to build something that is challenging and that pushes you out of your comfort zone.
I'm excited to see where this journey takes me and I'm looking forward to building something that I'm proud of.