The Repeatable Recipe for AI Apps

Yes! This isn't about Cursor features—it's about mental models for AI-first architecture. Even experienced developers often struggle with "connecting the dots" between AI features and app structure. You'll learn systematic approaches to data modeling, architectural decisions, and when to let the AI lead vs when to intervene.

Most workshops teach you to use Cursor to build traditional apps. This workshop teaches you to architect AI-first applications—apps designed from the ground up with AI capabilities as core features. The focus is on understanding the "why" behind architectural decisions, not just "how" to use the tool.

Everyone builds the recipe app during the workshop (it's our teaching vehicle), but the patterns transfer directly to any AI-first application. You'll leave with mental models you can apply to your own projects.

After the workshop, many participants adapt the starter code and patterns to build their own apps. The Slack community is a great place to share your projects!

Cursor will generate lots of code, but the goal isn't to have AI do everything—it's to understand what's being generated and why. You'll learn to work with the AI as a thought partner, not just as a code generator. This includes knowing when to accept AI suggestions, when to modify them, and when to take a different approach entirely.

You don't need to be an expert, but basic familiarity with code concepts is helpful. This workshop is designed for designers, PMs, and developers at various skill levels. If you've experimented with AI coding tools or have basic understanding of variables, functions, and data structures, you'll be fine.

Getting stuck is part of learning! We've built in several support mechanisms:

• • Built-in documentation that the AI agent can reference
• • Troubleshooting guides for common issues
• • Instructor support throughout the day
• • Peer support from other participants
• • Structured verification steps to catch issues early

The workshop is designed so you can't get too stuck—the AI agent and support materials will help you move forward.

Any laptop less than 5 years old should work fine:

• • Mac: macOS 10.14 or later
• • Windows: Windows 10 or later
• • Linux: Any modern distribution
• • Requirements: At least 8GB RAM, modern web browser, ability to install applications
• • Internet: You'll need stable internet (provided at the venue)

All services we use have free tiers that are more than sufficient for the workshop and personal use:

• • Airtable: Free plan (1,200 records per base)
• • Gemini API: Free tier (generous for development)
• • Cloudflare: Free tier (perfect for personal projects)
• • GitHub: Free for public/private repositories

You won't need to enter payment details for the workshop. The only paid service is Cursor Pro ($20/month), which is required.

Your app will use Google's Gemini AI for:

• 📸 Vision-based recipe import: Take a photo of a cookbook page, and AI extracts the recipe name, ingredients, measurements, and method
• 🗂️ Smart categorisation: AI organises ingredients into shopping list categories
• 🧠 Intelligent parsing: Converting unstructured text into structured data
• 💬 Natural language understanding: (If time permits) asking questions about recipes using voice

These features feel like magic but are built with remarkably little code thanks to AI APIs.

Absolutely! The structured chapters guide you through core functionality, but you make many decisions:

• • How you structure your data (what fields a recipe has)
• • Your app's visual design (colours, fonts, layouts)
• • Which optional features you add
• • How you organise and display information

During Part 3, there's time for customisation and adding your own ideas.

You own it! The app is deployed to your Cloudflare account, the code is in your GitHub repository, and the data is in your Airtable base. You can:

• • Continue using it for your meal planning
• • Keep developing and adding features
• • Share it with friends and family
• • Use it as a portfolio piece
• • Adapt it for other purposes

Yes! You'll join our private Slack community where you can:

• • Ask questions and get help
• • Share your progress and projects
• • Learn from others' solutions
• • Get updates to workshop materials
• • Find collaborators for new projects

The instructor will be active in the community, and you'll build relationships with fellow participants.

You should understand the concepts and what the code does, but you don't need to memorise every syntax detail. It's like understanding what a recipe does without memorising the exact measurements. Over time, patterns will become familiar. The workshop focuses on comprehension over memorisation.

It will! That's part of the learning experience. You'll learn to:

• • Verify AI outputs
• • Debug issues
• • Provide better prompts
• • Iterate toward solutions

This is a crucial skill for working with AI—knowing when to trust it and when to question it.