Free
SaaS Starter Kit
Build your first product properly.
This kit condenses the Build School method into actionable checklists. Print it, tick as you go, and keep it next to your editor.
1. Recommended stack
- Next.js (App Router) + TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS for UI
- Supabase / Postgres for data and auth
- Stripe for payments
- Resend for emails
- Vercel for deployment
2. Base architecture
- One repo, clear structure (app/, lib/, components/)
- Separate client/server env vars
- A centralized data module
- Server components by default, client only when needed
3. Before-you-code checklist
- Write the problem in one sentence
- Sketch the 3 main screens
- List the data entities
- Pick ONE core feature, cut the rest
4. Landing page checklist
- A clear title that says what it does
- A visible CTA
- Mobile-first responsive
- Metadata + OpenGraph
5. Auth checklist
- Working login / logout
- Protected routes
- User state available everywhere
- Minimal onboarding
6. Database checklist
- Schema before code
- Relations and constraints
- Server-side validation
- Versioned migrations
7. Stripe checklist
- Checkout in test mode first
- Never trust the client price
- Webhook with signature verification
- Idempotency on the event id
8. Email checklist
- Transactional emails only
- Reusable templates
- Verified domain
- Fallback if the key is missing
9. SEO checklist
- Title + description per page
- Sitemap + robots
- Canonical + OpenGraph
- Genuinely indexable pages
10. Launch checklist
- Production build passes
- No console errors
- Domain + HTTPS
- Analytics wired
The 15 classic beginner mistakes
- 01Starting with the perfect design instead of the core flow.
- 02Piling features before one path even works.
- 03Copying AI without understanding the generated code.
- 04Trusting the price sent by the client (Stripe).
- 05Forgetting server-side validation.
- 06Putting secret keys on the client.
- 07Skipping migrations and editing the DB by hand.
- 08Ignoring error cases (network, declined payment).
- 09Neglecting mobile responsive.
- 10Deploying without testing the production build.
- 11Pushing SEO to “later”.
- 12Not handling webhook idempotency.
- 13Storing unnecessary sensitive data.
- 14Coding three days without committing.
- 15Waiting to feel “ready” instead of shipping.
30-day roadmap
- Days 1–5Setup, repo, landing page, design system
- Days 6–12Next.js + TypeScript, database, schema
- Days 13–20Auth, dashboard, protected routes
- Days 21–26Stripe payments, webhooks, Resend emails
- Days 27–30AI feature, SEO, analytics, deploy, launch
Ready to build for real? The full programme is waiting.