MVP Builder Skill (For Dev Agent)

Purpose: Take validated PRD and build functional MVP in 2-4 weeks.

Trigger: When McKinzie approves an app opportunity for development.

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🎯 MVP Philosophy

Goal: Build the smallest thing that validates the core value proposition.

Constraints:

• 2-4 weeks max
• 3 core features only
• No nice-to-haves
• Launchable, not perfect

Success Criteria:

• McKinzie can test it end-to-end
• Real users can sign up and use it
• Can collect feedback and iterate

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📋 Tech Stack (Standard)

Frontend

• Framework: Next.js 14+ (App Router)
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• UI Components: shadcn/ui
• Animations: Framer Motion
• State: React Context or Zustand
• Forms: React Hook Form + Zod

Backend

• Database: Supabase (PostgreSQL)
• Auth: Supabase Auth
• Storage: Supabase Storage
• Real-time: Supabase Realtime (if needed)
• API: Next.js API routes

Hosting

• Frontend: Vercel
• Backend: Vercel (serverless)
• Database: Supabase
• Domain: Vercel or Cloudflare

DevOps

• Git: GitHub
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions
• Monitoring: Vercel Analytics

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🏗️ MVP Build Process

Phase 1: Setup (Day 1)

1.1 Initialize Project

npx create-next-app@latest [app-name] --typescript --tailwind --eslint --app --src-dir --import-alias "@/*"
cd [app-name]
npx shadcn-ui@latest init

1.2 Setup Supabase

• Create project at supabase.com
• Configure auth (email + Google OAuth)
• Setup database schema (basic tables)
• Save credentials to .env.local

1.3 Deploy Skeleton

• Push to GitHub
• Connect Vercel
• Deploy landing page
• Verify domain works

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Phase 2: Core Features (Days 2-10)

2.1 Database Schema
Design minimal schema:

-- Users (handled by Supabase Auth)
-- Add profile table if needed

-- Core entity 1 (e.g., chores, tasks, entries)
create table items (
  id uuid default uuid_generate_v4() primary key,
  user_id uuid references auth.users not null,
  title text not null,
  -- feature-specific fields
  created_at timestamp default now(),
  updated_at timestamp default now()
);

-- Core entity 2 (if needed)
-- Keep it minimal!

2.2 Auth Flow

• Sign up / Sign in pages
• Protected routes middleware
• User profile setup

2.3 Feature 1: Core Value

• Build the ONE thing that solves the pain point
• Make it work end-to-end
• Add satisfying UX (animations, feedback)

2.4 Feature 2: Supporting Flow

• Usually: list view, detail view, create/edit
• Keep it simple

2.5 Feature 3: Polish

• Settings/profile
• Basic stats/dashboard
• Whatever makes it feel complete

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Phase 3: Payment (Days 11-13)

3.1 Choose Payment Provider

• Stripe: Best for subscriptions
• LemonSqueezy: Easier for digital products
• Creem.io: McKinzie's preference

3.2 Setup

• Create products/prices in dashboard
• Add payment webhooks
• Build upgrade flow
• Add "Pro" badges/features

3.3 Free Tier Limits

• Define what free users get
• Add paywalls gracefully
• Make upgrade compelling

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Phase 4: Polish & Launch Prep (Days 14-17)

4.1 Landing Page

• Hero section
• Features list
• Pricing table
• Sign up CTA

4.2 Onboarding

• Welcome flow
• First-use tutorial (if needed)
• Empty states

4.3 Responsive Design

• Mobile-first
• Test on real devices
• PWA manifest (optional)

4.4 Testing

• Test all flows manually
• Fix obvious bugs
• Don't aim for 100% coverage

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Phase 5: Deploy (Day 18-20)

5.1 Production Checklist

• Environment variables set
• Database migrations run
• Auth callbacks configured
• Payment webhooks working
• Analytics installed

5.2 Deploy

• Merge to main
• Vercel auto-deploys
• Verify all features work
• Test on mobile

5.3 Handoff

• Document known issues
• Share admin access with McKinzie
• Provide feedback collection plan

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🎨 Design System (Reusable)

Colors

--primary: #2DD4BF;      /* Teal */
--primary-dark: #14B8A6;
--secondary: #F87171;    /* Coral */
--accent: #FCD34D;       /* Yellow */
--background: #FEF9F3;   /* Cream */
--text: #1F2937;         /* Charcoal */
--text-muted: #6B7280;

Typography

• Headings: Nunito (rounded, friendly)
• Body: Inter (clean, readable)
• Sizes:
  • H1: 2.5rem (mobile: 1.875rem)
  • H2: 1.875rem (mobile: 1.5rem)
  • Body: 1rem

Components (shadcn)

• Button (primary, secondary, ghost)
• Card
• Input
• Dialog
• Dropdown Menu
• Toast (for notifications)
• Tabs

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📝 PRD → Code Translation

Example: KiddoChores

PRD Says:

"Quick chore setup with pre-built templates by age"

Dev Builds:

1. SetupWizard component
2. ageGroups config (4-6, 7-9, 10-12)
3. choreTemplates object
4. One-tap add function
5. Age selector UI

PRD Says:

"Kid-friendly dashboard with big colorful icons"

Dev Builds:

1. KidDashboard component
2. Icon library (Lucide icons)
3. Large touch targets (min 48px)
4. Bright colors from design system
5. Tap-to-complete with animation

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⚠️ Common Mistakes

1. Over-engineering ❌

   • Don't build features not in PRD
   • Don't add "in case we need it"
   • Solve today's problem, not tomorrow's

2. Perfect over done ❌

   • Ship with known small bugs
   • Fix them in week 2
   • Perfect is enemy of launched

3. Ignoring mobile ❌

   • Build mobile-first
   • Test on actual phones
   • Thumbs need big targets

4. Complex auth ❌

   • Email + Google is enough
   • Skip Facebook, Apple, etc for MVP
   • Add later if needed

5. No analytics ❌

   • Add from day 1
   • Track: signups, conversions, key actions
   • Can't improve what you don't measure

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✅ Handoff Checklist

For McKinzie:

• Live URL
• Admin dashboard access
• How to see users/data
• How to update content
• Known issues list
• Next steps recommendation

For Feedback Collection:

• In-app feedback button
• Email capture for updates
• Analytics events tracking
• Bug reporting process

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🚀 Post-MVP (Week 3+)

Not part of MVP, but plan for:

• Push notifications
• Offline mode
• Advanced features
• Marketing website
• App store submission

Stay focused on:

• Does core value work?
• Are people paying?
• What do users actually want next?

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📚 Resources

Templates:

• Next.js + Supabase starter
• shadcn/ui components
• Payment integration examples

Documentation:

• Next.js docs
• Supabase docs
• shadcn/ui docs
• Stripe/Creem docs

Testing:

• Vercel preview deployments
• Mobile testing on real devices
• Lighthouse audits

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✅ Success Metrics

MVP Delivered When:

• Users can sign up
• Core feature works end-to-end
• Payment flow functional
• Responsive on mobile
• Deployed and live
• Handoff complete

Timeline:

• Simple app: 2 weeks
• Medium complexity: 3 weeks
• More complex: 4 weeks max

If running over:

• Cut scope (remove features)
• Don't extend timeline
• Ship what works

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Last updated: Feb 15, 2026
Validated with McKinzie's feedback: speed over perfection, launch fast, iterate