AI Digest App Building Guide
A complete system for building an AI-powered information digest app using vibe coding and systematic AI development. This guide combines workshop learnings with the Production Playbook’s 7-Phase methodology applied to a real RSS aggregator project.
Table of Contents
Before You Build
Most people open an AI coding tool and start typing “Build me an app.” That’s the fastest way to get half-working code and a lost context window.
The goal isn’t just to spin up code. It’s to learn how to orchestrate an AI build process end-to-end the same way a senior engineer or product architect would.
This means teaching your AI partner the entire mental model of the project before you ever ask it to generate a single line of code.
Think of it as your pre-build system design ritual. It keeps your AI context-anchored so it builds consistently instead of guessing phase by phase.
Understanding the Real Costs
Before writing a single line of code, understand what you’re paying for.
The common baseline: Replit, Lovable, Bolt, V0 all use subscription plus usage credits or tokens.
Four hidden catches: