~/blog
Notes from building.
Only what I've actually done.
// Building apps with AI
Building Apps with AI — the Full Map for Non-Developers (2026)Hub guide
You can ship apps and websites without a coding background now. What's actually possible, which tools you need, and where to start — mapped out by an engineer who has shipped real apps this way.
What It Actually Costs to Build an App with AI (2026)
AI subscription, domain, hosting, database, app store fees — the real line items from apps I've actually shipped. Compare this to an agency quote before you sign.
How to Validate an App Idea — 5 Checks Before You Build
Avoid the three-months-for-zero-users tragedy. Search demand, competitor teardown, willingness-to-pay — five validation steps you can finish in a day, free, before writing any code.
ChatGPT vs Claude for Building Apps — What Actually Differs (2026)
Not a chatbot comparison — a builder's comparison. Code quality, long-task consistency, agent tooling — from a developer who pays for both and uses them on real projects.
How to Install Claude Code on Mac & Windows — Setup to First Result in 30 Minutes
Claude Code install guide: the one-line setup command for macOS and Windows, first run, and your first visible result — written for people who have never opened a terminal.
Claude Code vs Cursor vs Codex — Which One Should You Start With? (2026)
An honest comparison from a working engineer who has shipped products with all three. What each tool is great at, where it frustrates, and what to pick as a non-developer.
What Are Claude Skills? Setup + 4 Free Skills I Actually Use
Claude Skills explained: what they are, the 1-minute install, and four free skills from my real workflow — review replies, idea validation, SEO blogging, and product launches.
Build a Landing Page with AI in One Day — Through Custom Domain
From idea to a deployed landing page on your own domain in a day: the actual sequence, the prompts, and the total cost ($10–20). Email capture included.
No-Code vs AI Coding — Which Should You Learn in 2026?
Bubble/Webflow-style no-code versus AI coding with tools like Claude Code: cost structures, ceilings, and lock-in, compared by a working developer.
What Is Vibe Coding? A Working Engineer's Honest Explainer
What vibe coding means, how far it actually goes, and how to start today — from an engineer who ships real products this way, not a trend piece.
// AI automation for business
AI Automation for Your Business — Where to Actually StartHub guide
Review replies, content production, customer inquiries — a realistic order for plugging AI into a running business, with real costs and honest expectations, from a developer who builds these automations.
Automate Customer Inquiry Replies — No Chatbot Subscription Needed
The same questions arrive every day. Here's how to build a draft-review-send system with one FAQ document and a general AI — no chatbot service, written for business owners.
Automating Google Review Replies — a Practical Guide for Owners
Instead of answering every Google review by hand, set up a flow where AI drafts and you approve. The tools, the order, and the traps to avoid.
Instagram Content Automation — a System That Ships 5 Posts a Week
Semi-automating reel scripts, captions, and hashtags with AI — without risking the account. From the material bank to the weekly batch to the feedback loop. This is how I actually run brand accounts.
AI Tools for Small Businesses — What to Use for Each Task (2026)
For shop owners and solo businesses: what to actually use for review replies, content, inquiries, and bookkeeping. A realistic setup starting under $25/month.
// AI This Week
AI This Week — About This SeriesHub guide
Not an AI news roundup. A weekly log of what I actually tried, built, and spent — with verdicts. Only things I've used with my own hands.
AI This Week #2 — One Month of a Self-Improving SEO Machine, Real Numbers (Week 38, 2026)
First month's report card for the SEO system Claude runs on its own every Monday: impressions 0→343, 8 clicks, a page from position 47 to 5. What worked, what didn't — actual numbers.
AI This Week #1 — Making This Site Bilingual and Bolting On an SEO Engine (Week 33, 2026)
A same-day ko/en site conversion with Claude Code, a database migration through the Vercel Marketplace, and building SEO/GEO infrastructure. What I actually did and learned this week.