🧠 Build with AI: Step by Step Idea to Launch in 8h with Replit + ChatGPT

Cindy Adem
May 18
3 min read

I’ve been building apps fast, sometimes in just a day, using Replit, Supabase, Vercel, and ChatGPT. Along the way,

If you’re someone who thinks like a product manager but builds like a founder, this guide is for you.

Tools I Use

Replit – for writing and running full-stack apps in the browser
ChatGPT – for architecting, generating code, and thinking through decisions
Replit Assistant – my coding co-pilot inside Replit (writes code for me)
Supabase – for authentication and database
Vercel – for deployment
Hotjar – for tracking user behavior

Step-by-Step: From Idea to Live Project

1. Start with a Clear App Idea

Before you touch Replit, write down the following:

A one-paragraph app description
3-5 problems it solves for the user
Key features (must-have vs. nice-to-have)
Basic user flow (e.g. Login → Dashboard → Create → Share)

This is what I give ChatGPT to help me think through structure, edge cases, and possible pitfalls.

2. Align on the Project Scope with ChatGPT

In ChatGPT, I’ll say something like:

“I want to build an app that lets couples ask each other deep questions. It should work on mobile, require no login, and let users create a game link to share with their partner.”

From there, we refine:

What pages/screens are needed
What data the app needs to store
What features are phase 1 vs. phase 2

ChatGPT also helps me decide things like:

Should this use a database or just store data temporarily?
Do I need user authentication?
Is this a single-page app or multi-page?

3. Say: “Generate the Replit Template”

Once we’ve finalized the concept, I tell ChatGPT:

“Generate the Replit template for this app.”

And it gives me:

A prompt I can paste into Replit Assistant to scaffold the project (file structure, code files, dependencies)
A step-by-step checklist for:
- What I should do manually (e.g. paste Supabase keys, connect Vercel)
- What Replit Assistant should do for me (e.g. add folders, install Tailwind, paste Hotjar tracking code)
A reminder to add things like my Hotjar Site ID or API keys

This keeps me focused on product decisions while ChatGPT + Replit Assistant handle the syntax.

4. Launch the Project on Replit

On Replit:

I create a Full Stack App
Then I open Replit Assistant and paste the ChatGPT-generated prompt
Replit Assistant does all the coding:
- Creates folders like client/src/components or server/
- Adds files like main.jsx, index.html, tailwind.config.js
- Installs React, Supabase JS, TailwindCSS, etc.
- Injects the Hotjar tracking script in the HTML file

5. Set Up Supabase & Vercel (With Help from ChatGPT)

I follow the checklist provided:

In Supabase

Create a new project
Add the tables ChatGPT specified (e.g. users, games, responses)
Generate the service key and paste it in .env

In Vercel

Connect my GitHub repo (Replit can push to GitHub)
Add environment variables (e.g. Supabase URL and keys)
Deploy

6. Test, Share, Improve

Once it’s live, I:

Test on mobile and desktop
Share with a few friends
Use Hotjar recordings to see how users interact with the app
Come back to ChatGPT to iterate or fix issues

Why This System Works

I built this process while doing my “8 hours. 8 days. 8 products.” challenge, where I had to launch working apps fast. I’m not a developer- but by treating AI like a teammate, I’ve created a loop where I focus on the product and let the tools handle the code.

Every time I start a new project now, it’s like loading a save file. No chaos, no wasted time; just execution.

TL;DR: What to Say to ChatGPT

“Here’s my app idea… [description]”“Let’s finalize the user flows and features.”“Generate the Replit template for this app.”“Give me the checklist for Replit, Supabase, Vercel, and Hotjar.”

That’s it. You’re off to the races.

Want to see this process in action? Check out Pathways.

Or DM me- happy to share how I structure and ship apps without writing code.

🔥 What is 888?

8 Hours. 8 Days. 8 Products. A personal challenge to build 8 functional AI-powered tools in 8 consecutive days, dedicating just ~8 hours to each build.

This is not about perfection; it’s about speed, creativity, and clarity of product thinking.

Every project is an exploration: solving real problems, testing ideas fast, and documenting the build process openly.