I had a todo list full of app ideas I was never going to build. Then AI happened. Now I'm shipping. Here's exactly how.
It always starts the same way. I'm using some app, hit a wall, and think — I could build something better. I open my notes, add it to the list, and tell myself I'll get to it eventually. Spoiler: I never did. The list just got longer.
That changed when I started actually using AI tools to build. Not just play with them — actually ship things. Here's the exact workflow I use now.
Step 1: Design with Google Stitch
I start with Google Stitch. I describe the app and ask it to generate a few different design directions. It gives me multiple drafts — different layouts, color schemes, component styles. I pick the one that feels right (or steal the best parts from two of them) and export it. Stitch outputs HTML and a design.md with the full design system: colors, typography, spacing, everything. That file becomes the source of truth for everything that follows.
Step 2: Build with Claude Code
I hand Claude Code the design.md and describe what I want to build. It sets up the project, reads the design tokens, configures Tailwind, and starts scaffolding. I work through it page by page, feature by feature. I stay in the loop — describing behavior, reviewing output, catching things that don't make sense. It's fast, but it's not hands-off.
The bonus part: features I didn't plan for originally. Once the base is there, it's easy to say "add this" and watch it happen. Half the good stuff in my apps came from ideas I had mid-build.
Step 3: Deploy with GitHub Actions
Once the app is in a good state, I create a GitHub repo and set up a workflow. One push to main and it builds, exports static files, and deploys to GitHub Pages automatically. I pointed a custom domain at it and that was it. The whole deploy pipeline took maybe 20 minutes to configure.
“Push to main. Done. It just goes live. No manual steps, no FTP, no drama.”
Step 4: Keep going from anywhere
This one is new. Claude Dispatch lets me continue working on a project from my phone. Waiting for coffee, on the train, lying on the couch — it doesn't matter. I send a message and it picks up where we left off. The context is there, the code is there, it just works. I've shipped actual features from my phone and that still feels a bit absurd.
That todo list I mentioned? I'm going through it. Slowly, but actually. The ideas don't sit there anymore — they turn into things. That's the part I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I do.