BEGINNER GUIDE
Your First Project: No Tech Background Required
This complete guide walks you through creating your first SCAFFOLD project from scratch. By the end, you'll have a locked blueprint ready to export to AI—no coding knowledge needed.
What You'll Build
In this tutorial, we'll build a simple Recipe Tracker App:
- → Users can save their favorite recipes
- → Recipes include title, ingredients, and instructions
- → Users can mark recipes as favorites
- → Simple search by recipe name
WHY THIS EXAMPLE?
Recipe apps are familiar, simple enough to understand quickly, but complex enough to demonstrate how SCAFFOLD organizes features. Everything you learn here applies to any app idea.
Step 1: Create Your Project
After signing up and logging in, click the "New Project" button on your dashboard.
PROJECT SETUP FORM
- Project Name: "Recipe Tracker"
- Description: "A simple app to save and organize my favorite recipes"
- Tech Stack (Optional): Leave blank for now—AI will suggest options
PRO TIP
Keep your description simple and problem-focused. Instead of listing technologies, describe what your app does. Let SCAFFOLD's AI suggest the technical details.
Step 2: Answer AI Questions
Click "Start AI Chat" in your new project. SCAFFOLD's AI will ask clarifying questions. Here's what to expect:
QUESTION 1: WHO WILL USE THIS APP?
Your Answer:
"Just me. I want to organize recipes I find online and create my own."
QUESTION 2: WILL USERS NEED ACCOUNTS?
Your Answer:
"Not for version 1. I just want to test the idea first."
QUESTION 3: MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE?
Your Answer:
"Being able to save recipes with ingredients and instructions, and find them later."
QUESTION 4: WHERE SHOULD DATA BE STORED?
AI Explains Options:
- → Browser: Simple, free, data stays on your device
- → Cloud Database: Access from any device, requires setup
- → File Storage: Store as files on your computer
Your Answer:
"Browser for now. I'll upgrade to cloud later if I like it."
IMPORTANT
There are no wrong answers. SCAFFOLD adapts to your decisions. You can change your mind later—just unlock, update, and re-lock.
Step 3: Review Generated Categories
Based on your answers, SCAFFOLD generates high-level categories. For the Recipe Tracker, you'll see:
DISPLAY COMPONENTS
- • Recipe list view
- • Add/edit recipe form
- • Recipe detail view
- • Search bar
DATA STORAGE
- • Browser storage setup
- • Recipe data structure
- • Save/load functions
USER ACTIONS
- • Recipe management
- • Search functionality
- • Favorites toggle
VISUAL DESIGN
- • Layout styling
- • Component styles
- • Mobile responsive design
Step 4: Refine Your Categories
Categories are starting points. You can add, remove, or modify anything:
EXAMPLE REFINEMENTS
- ✗Remove: "Recipe detail view" (too complex for MVP, keep it simple)
- ✓Add: "Export recipes to PDF" (You want to print them later)
- →Simplify: Use simpler data storage instead of complex solutions
PRO TIP
Click any category to expand it into specific files and features. You can edit descriptions and requirements before locking.
Step 5: Lock Each Category
When a category looks perfect, click the lock icon. Locked categories:
- ✓ Become read-only (can't be modified without unlocking)
- ✓ Signal to AI: "This is final, build exactly this"
- ✓ Prevent scope creep and feature drift
- ✓ Give you confidence before exporting to AI
LOCKING RULES
- ✓ Lock categories one at a time (review carefully)
- ✓ Lock foundation categories first (Data before Display)
- ✓ You can unlock later to make changes
- ✗ Don't lock everything at once without review
Step 6: Export to Your AI Coder
Once all categories are locked, click "Export to MCP". You'll get options:
OPTION 1: DOWNLOAD JSON
Download your blueprint as a JSON file. Upload it to your AI coder's project context.
Best for: One-time exports, trying SCAFFOLD
OPTION 2: MCP SERVER (PRO)
Connect SCAFFOLD to Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf. They always see your latest locked specs.
Best for: Active projects, team collaboration
Step 7: AI Builds Your App
Open Claude, Cursor, or your preferred AI coder. Paste this prompt:
"I have a locked SCAFFOLD blueprint for a Recipe Tracker app. Build the app exactly as specified in the blueprint. Do not add features, do not change the structure, implement only what's locked."
[Attach your exported JSON or ensure MCP server is connected]
AI will build:
- ✓ Only the components you locked
- ✓ With the exact file paths you specified
- ✓ Using the tech stack you approved
- ✓ No hallucinations, no extra features
What You've Learned
SCAFFOLD translates your vision into AI-ready specs through guided questions
Categories organize your app into understandable sections
Locking prevents AI drift and gives you complete control
Exporting delivers your blueprint to AI coders (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf)
You don't need to code—just answer questions and make decisions