Explore Your App Ideas with Vibe Coding: Play, Build, and Prototype with AI (Part 2)

Welcome back, fellow Curionaut,

In Part 1 of this topic, we explored how to capture a half-baked idea, talk it out with AI, and shape it into a solid Product Requirement Document (PRD).

Now it’s time to bring that idea to life. In this edition, I’ll show you how I use Bolt.new to build interactive prototypes, test early concepts, and keep the creative momentum flowing.

So head back to your ChatGPT thread and let’s get started (the one we worked on last time using this customGPT) or just read along.

Quick recap of the steps we took prior:

• Step 1: Capture the Fuzzy Idea

• Step 2: Talk It Out with AI & Ideate

• Step 3: Turn Ideas into a PRD

Step 4: Break It Into Sprints

Once I feel like my PRD is in good shape, in the same chat thread, I will have ChatGPT break my PRD into sprints so that it’s easier to vibe code.

Break this down into buildable sprints for Bolt.

It will give you a rough breakdown; something like: onboarding flow → dashboard setup → countdown timers → polish and reflection prompts, which I would take one by one to Bolt to build.

A few things to potentially include in your prompt to help ChatGPT craft your sprints more effectively:

• Be mindful of token usage. Ask ChatGPT to keep responses lean where possible to avoid running into length limits.

• Stack sprints logically. Each one should build on the last to minimize bugs and unnecessary rework.

• Hold off on auth and marketing pages. Focus on fleshing out the app’s core flow first. You can layer in login and polish later.

• Use dummy data to start. Ask ChatGPT to be mindful of how and when to replace the app’s data with the real stuff using Supabase or other integrations so you don’t get stuck in the beginning.

• Feed sprints one by one. Ask ChatGPT to provide each sprint step individually, and let it know that you may pause to resolve bugs along the way.

For now, stick with the defaults, as we’re building for the creative exploration of those ideas you’ve been holding on to.

Step 5: Build It in Bolt

Bolt (or Lovable, Replit, Cursor) is where the “vibe coding” magic happens. These are AI-native app builders; meaning, you describe what you want, and they help you build it.

I used Bolt specifically because I was participating in a hackathon, and it worked beautifully for my needs. In the future, I plan to write about my experience with the other builders, so stay tuned for that. 🙂 

Why I like Bolt so far:

• Easy to prompt with zero coding experience

• Built-in Supabase auth and database integration with very generous free features

• GitHub connection, so you can save your code, revert changes, and port the project elsewhere (like Cursor)

• Simple deployment to a custom domain via Netlify

• Stripe integration for payments (though be mindful of legal/tax implications)

• Simple iteration on copy, flow, and UI

After signing up for Bolt account, you can jump right in using the prompts ChatGPT prepared for you. (Here’s my Bolt referral link if you’d like to try it.)

Building in Bolt (Step-by-Step):

1. Create a free Bolt account (you may need to upgrade later with more tokens to finish your build).

2. Ask ChatGPT for your first sprint prompt, formatted for easy copy/paste. If it’s not already on hand.

3. Paste the prompt into Bolt’s chat and give it a few minutes to generate.

   • ⚠️ Don’t let your computer go to sleep — it might time out.

4. Work sprint-by-sprint, toggling between Bolt and ChatGPT as needed.

5. When you hit the inevitable bug, try resolving it once or twice inside Bolt. If it doesn’t work, screenshot the issue and ask ChatGPT to walk you through a fix — step-by-step, no-code style then paste its solution into Bolt.

6. Once the initial core app is working as desired, you can ask Bolt to replace the dummy data with the actual data using Supabase.

   • You’ll need a free Supabase account and can connect it through Bolt (look for the integrations dropdown in the upper right corner of Bolt).

     

   • Bolt will also guide you in building the database structures necessary for the app and Supabase. You usually won’t even need to leave Bolt to get the database working, but Supabase has an AI chatbot to help if you get stuck.

7. Optional: Build out the marketing landing page and login flow. To bring the whole idea to life, work with ChatGPT and Bolt by prompting it to build a marketing page and account creation/login flow.

8. Polish your UI/UX. If anything feels clunky (awkward navigation, too much info, or visual blandness), this is your time to put your UX Designer hat on.

   • One limited but straightforward option is to screenshot certain parts of the app, share with ChatGPT, and ask it to improve the UX with prompts to share with Bolt.

   • Keep in mind that there are certain UX principles, such as information architecture and the art of knowing when to pull back, where AI doesn’t perform as well as a trained professional. The sleek UI it will generate can fool you into thinking it’s intuitive, and that’s not always the case. If you require additional expertise in this area, please don't hesitate to reach out. I offer UX mentoring. 😊 

9. Time to Deploy! Ask Bolt to deploy your app; it will generate a live URL.

   • Once deployed, consider pushing the code to GitHub, if you haven’t already. This will allow you to experiment further by creating branches off the base code, thereby avoiding any potential damage to your main app design.

Step 6: Share with the world

Okay! Your idea is live! You have a working prototype, a flow, maybe even a spark of excitement in this becoming something. Now it’s time to test, learn from, and share it.

But before you blast it on social, here’s how I recommend doing some lightweight UX research and public prep; just enough to learn, not get overwhelmed.

1. Run a Tiny User Test

Don’t overthink it. Ask a few curious friends or peers (ideally in your target audience) to use your app. Give them a simple task and watch what they do.

• Observe, don’t lead. Let them click around, and notice where they get stuck or confused.

• Ask open questions. “What did you expect this button to do?” or “What would you use this for?”

• Record insights. Even 4-5 real user sessions can reveal patterns worth acting on.

2. Add a Feedback Form

Create a feedback survey in a simple Google Form or Tally.so then ask Bolt to insert the link into your app and marketing page.

Keep it short:

• What did you love?

• What felt confusing?

• Would you use this again?

• Or leave it open-ended and see what people share.

Here is an example of the feedback form I linked to in the Layoff Relief App:

3. Make Your Concept Clear

I recommend having your new app and website say something along the lines of: “This is a concept app, built in public for learning and exploration. It’s not fully polished, but I’d love your thoughts!”

On my Curionaut site, I’m embracing the fact that it’s a work in progress, proudly sharing as I build it out via vibe coding. It’s both a playground and a marketing website: a way to explore what’s possible with AI-powered prototyping while leveling up my vibe coding skills. I love when growth, experimentation, and storytelling can all align like that.

Also helpful to potentially add to your site:

• FAQs section → Add to your landing page with common questions like “Is this app live?” or “Will you be building this out?”

• Legal note → Mention any relevant disclaimers (e.g. “This tool does not offer legal/medical advice.”)

• Be mindful of IP → Especially if you’re sharing user-generated data or building on niche ideas. Attribution, terms of use, and disclaimers can go a long way.

Consider using ChatGPT and Bolt to help draft this content, or seek legal advice from a qualified lawyer.

4. Iterate If You’re Serious

If your concept sparked something deeper: excitement, interest from others, or that feeling of “wait, this could actually be useful,” consider taking it to the next level.

That might mean:

• Refining your MVP based on feedback

• Adding features that improve the core experience

• Doing deeper UX research or usability testing

• Leveling up your design system or branding

And if you realize it’s time to go beyond DIY vibe coding and bring in a designer, researcher, or AI workflow strategist, Curionaut Studios can help. I offer creative consulting and design × AI support to individuals and teams building things that foster creativity, flow, and well-being.

5. Post It for Funsies

You made something! That’s worth celebrating.

Even if it’s not fully polished, sharing your concept publicly helps you:

• Build momentum

• Attract collaborators or testers

• Document your creative process

• Inspire others to start their own

Post your build on:

• LinkedIn for thoughtful breakdowns or learnings

• Threads or Twitter for quick updates and screenshots

• Substack if you’re narrating your journey as a creative in public

• DevPost especially for hackathon entries

• Product Hunt for more polished MVPs and community feedback

In the post, you can also drop in a feedback form link, a Loom walkthrough, and a bit of context to why you built it, then you’re good to go.

And There You Have It

If you followed along with the steps above (using the Vibe Coding Assistant and a tool like Bolt) you should now have a solid concept app up and running.

Here is an example of what Layoff Relief’s Dashboard looks like. All fully functional with marketing landing page, authentication/login, and customized deadlines and information based on what I input.

Whether it’s simple or scrappy, you did it. You took an idea from fuzzy to functional, and that’s worth celebrating. 👏

There is, of course, way more to learn and work through, so if you want to dive deeper into vibe-coding, check out the Vibe Coding Bootcamp by Maven I mentioned last time.

I demoed Layoff Relief in the overview video for the Bootcamp, so take a look if you'd like to see how it all came together. I highly recommend the Vibe Coding Bootcamp if you want even more guidance on how to build your ideas out with AI!

Now, let’s zoom out for a moment…

Why Vibe-Coding Matters for Creative Exploration

I used to think I needed a full team and start-up funding to bring an idea to life, that the half-formed thoughts in my Notes app or notebook would someday be built by someone else. And I’d beat myself up for not doing it first. Now I know better.

I can literally take a fuzzy idea and turn it into a functional prototype, over a weekend.

If you’re a creative, designer, founder, or neurodivergent builder with a phone or notepad full of ideas, this is your superpower waiting to be unlocked, and the best part is that it’s fun! Yay for the power of play; one of my core values!

Just remember: vibe coding is excellent for creative exploration, but if you plan to build on your idea further, you’ll likely encounter roadblocks with debugging, development, and design. That’s when you’ll want to bring in the experts to assist and shift to more robust tools.

But if your goal is to explore ideas quickly and “learn by doing,” then vibe coding is a game-changing starting point.

You don’t need to be “technical.” You need to be clear, curious, and willing to talk+type it out.

What I’m Building Next

I’m continuing to improve Layoff Relief, depending on interest, and may expand it into a more comprehensive AI-powered tool for the laid-off community.

I just soft-launched Curionaut Studios, a Design × AI consultancy for curious founders and product teams building services that support creativity, flow, and well-being. From Design Strategy to UX Research to AI-powered workflows, I’m here to share what I’ve learned, keep growing, and co-create with the curious.

And since you’re here… I’d love to hear what you’re curious about!
What would you like to explore more deeply? AI workflows? UX strategy? Creative process? I have ideas, but I want to follow the questions that matter to you, fellow Curionaut 👩🏽‍🚀.

Until next time,