Zero coding experience. Wild idea. And 30 days to make it real. Here’s the plan.
I've never coded. Not a single line. But I’m tired of just watching cool ideas fly by. So here I am—turning a wild idea into something real with AI
as my co-pilot.
My toolkit? ChatGPT, Cursor, Replit.
My deadline? 30 days.
Here’s the plan:
Step 1: Pick a problem that actually bugs me.
Step 2: Let AI help me sketch out the product (flows, features, the whole deal).
Step 3: Use ChatGPT to guide me through the messy build process.
Step 4: Ship a working version—however messy—by day 30.
I’m not a dev. Not a designer. But I’m finally done playing it safe.
Ever tried building something with zero coding skills? What worked? What tripped you up? I’m all ears. Maybe even an accountability buddy? 👇
Replies
I'm a Data scientist - past. So I had coding experience but ZERO knowledge re; development.
I did exactly what you said in this post and got stuck at deployment. Stuck HARD. My working copy was messy, but "worked on my device". Tips?; Docker and spend some time looking up how to properly deploy onto the web (AWS?). I'm excited to hear about your venture! Best of luck :)
@yakuraapp Hey Lou, thanks for the tip! Deployment definitely seems like it could be a big hurdle. Docker and AWS are on my radar now. I’ll make sure to spend some time on that part once I get closer to having something functional. Appreciate the encouragement—hope to have more to share soon!
minimalist phone: creating folders
I tried "vibe coding", but the code had many issues. So I started with the basics of JavaScript to understand the logic behind that. Maybe that's the reason why I haven't completed anything because I want to know many things :D
Have you somehow tested the problem with other (possible?) users? I mean, whether there is a demand.
@busmark_w_nika Totally with you on stepping back to nail the JavaScript basics. Understanding the “why” behind the code just makes everything click better.
As for your question, I’m in the early stages too exploring the problem space by chatting with people, lurking in forums, and even shooting a few cold DMs. Not super structured yet, but I’m just trying to get a feel for things before diving in too deep. Would love to know how you're approaching it!
minimalist phone: creating folders
@ambika_vaish To be honest, I do not have that ambition to build something for other people (yeah, it is so egocentric) :D but I do not want to build anything atm. If I wanted, I started with the question on Reddit and Product Hunt :)
@busmark_w_nika Haha, not egocentric at all, honestly, building for yourself is probably the best way to keep it fun and meaningful. No pressure to ship or impress, just pure curiosity and learning. And yeah, Reddit and PH are perfect places to begin with.
Love the energy and honesty here, Ambika! It's super inspiring to see someone dive headfirst into building with AI-no dev experience, just pure determination. I’ve dabbled a bit myself, and honestly, the hardest part was staying focused when things got messy (which they will). But having a clear goal and letting AI handle the heavy lifting helped a ton. Rooting for you-day 30 will come faster than you think! Keep sharing your progress, and count me in if you need a cheerleader or accountability buddy.
Thanks so much, Avni!
Totally get you on the "things get messy" bit — I’m already in the thick of it
But yeah, having a somewhat clear target (and letting AI take some of the load) is keeping me moving.
Day 30’s coming in fast — I might just take you up on that cheerleader offer!
Impressive idea and seamless Plan. I'm looking forward to your follow-up.