🚀 How I Launched a Profitable Product in Days Using Cursor + a1.art API
Hey Product Hunt!
I want to share a story that might resonate with solo builders, indie hackers, and devs who love fast iteration. Recently, I built and launched a simple but profitable product within days—using just Cursor (an AI-native IDE) and the a1.art API (an AI art generation API that supports high-quality, customizable image creation).
đź› The Stack: Cursor + a1.art API
I started with an idea: a niche AI avatar generator tailored for couples. I wanted to validate it fast, so I skipped the traditional long dev process. Here’s what I used:
Cursor: Writing and debugging code with AI help was 3x faster. I generated React components, integrated endpoints, and debugged the UI—all with inline AI suggestions.
a1.art API: This API let me generate stunning AI illustrations with just a few lines of code. It supports various styles, upscaling, and even batch generation. No complex setup, just API key + endpoint + image uoload.
⏱ From Idea to Launch in 3 Days
Day 1:
Brainstormed and validated idea
Built frontend in Cursor
Set up backend (Node + Express)
Integrated a1.art API and tested image outputs
Day 2:
Refined the prompt system (based on user input)
Added Stripe for payments
Deployed on Vercel
Day 3:
Soft launch on Twitter and Reddit
Got first 10 paid users within 48 hours
đź’° Revenue in the First Week
I made $260 in the first week, mostly through organic sharing and communities. The quality of the images generated by a1.art made the product “share-worthy,” and people loved seeing their customized AI avatars.
– Colin 👋
Indie maker, PM, AI enthusiast
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