Our Journey: Rebuilding with AI
It all started with a simple curiosity. I watched a YouTube video about Cursor, a new AI-powered code editor, and couldn’t help but wonder: Could we actually rebuild our entire application from scratch using this tool? We had initially built our platform with WordPress and Elementor—both known for their simplicity and speed. At that time, they were the best options for moving quickly without a deep dive into complex coding.
But this new idea sparked something. We’d been experimenting with AI in different ways, but using it to take on our entire application rebuild? That felt like a bold leap.
The Evolution of Application Development
Not too long ago, building an application was a monumental task. Developers had to manage long hours, high costs, and constant complexity. In the past, I turned to drag-and-drop low-code platforms to keep up. Low-code tools offered a way to sidestep some of the traditional development grind, but they came with limits in flexibility and scalability.
That’s where AI comes in, reshaping how we build, design, and even think about software.
Enter the AI Revolution with Cursor, Claude, and v0
The real game-changer in this journey? Tools like Cursor, Claude, and v0, which make coding simpler and more accessible. Let’s break down how each of these tools transformed our process:
Cursor
Cursor is an AI-powered code editor that integrates directly into the coding environment. It’s designed to assist developers by offering smart code suggestions, identifying errors in real-time, and optimizing code automatically. Essentially, it feels like having a junior developer by your side, ready to help at every turn. Cursor allowed us to move faster by taking on repetitive tasks, ensuring our code was clean and optimized, and handling those frustrating bugs that slow everything down.
Claude
Developed by Anthropic, Claude is an AI model capable of handling complex tasks across multiple domains, including code generation, text understanding, and even basic project management. Think of it as a digital team member who can write, edit, and offer solutions on the fly. When building, we could ask Claude to generate a snippet of code or provide a quick solution to a tricky issue. It brought a level of efficiency that saved us countless hours.
v0
This tool specializes in rapid prototyping and helped us create and test different application versions without needing to commit extensive resources to each iteration. By working with v0, we could quickly experiment with different structures and functionalities, getting immediate feedback and making adjustments on the fly.
Together, these AI tools created a development experience where we spent more time focused on what we wanted to build and less time on how to build it.
Learning to Collaborate with AI
One thing I quickly realized was that working with AI is not always straightforward. There’s a learning curve—not just for the technology itself but also in how we collaborate with it. Initially, our team had to learn to trust the AI, to let it take over certain tasks, and then to adapt when it made suggestions that we wouldn’t have considered on our own.
For example, we learned that AI often sees problems differently than we do, which can lead to unexpected solutions. Cursor’s code suggestions weren’t always what we expected, but sometimes they were even better than what we would have written ourselves.
Code: From Craft to Commodity
The most surprising revelation? Code is no longer the exclusive domain of a select few. With these AI tools, coding has become more accessible to more people. The act of coding itself—something once considered a prized, complex skill—feels almost like a commodity. It’s still valuable, but it’s available to anyone willing to give these tools a try.
Now, the real value isn’t just in the coding itself; it’s in why we’re coding. It’s about the problems we’re solving and the vision we’re bringing to life.
Passion and Problem-Solving: The New Currency
My mentor always says, “What problem are you solving?” And that’s now the most critical question of all. In this landscape where AI can create code faster than ever, what truly sets one developer—or one team—apart from another is the unique, human problems they’re addressing and the passion they bring to those solutions. Code might be easy to generate, but passion, creativity, and human-centered solutions remain irreplaceable.
Lowering Barriers to Entry for Everyone
As someone who’s passionate about helping others turn their passions into digital businesses, I’m excited to see how AI tools like these are lowering the barriers to entry. With AI at their fingertips, more people than ever have the chance to build software, create solutions, and follow their entrepreneurial dreams. You don’t have to be a coding expert to turn your vision into reality anymore.
Looking Ahead: A Call to Action
Reflecting on our journey with Cursor, Claude, and v0, I see a glimpse of the future—a future where AI empowers more people to bring their ideas to life without getting bogged down by technical limitations. My advice to anyone exploring AI-driven development: focus on your passion, embrace these tools, and let AI be your co-creator.
So, let’s build the future together. Let’s focus on what really matters: solving meaningful problems and creating things that make a difference. The code will follow.