From Zero to AI-Powered Developer

Part 2: Building Real Projects (The Reality Check)

Read Part 1: Getting Started first if you haven’t set up your environment yet.

This is Part 2: Building real projects and understanding what AI can (and can’t) do.

Part 3: Building with Hugo covers building and deploying websites.

In Part 1, we covered:

• Setting up Claude Code
• Understanding the tools
• Your first project
• Common problems and fixes

Now in Part 2:

• When to use which tool
• Real project walkthrough (100+ page murder mystery)
• What AI can and can’t do (honest)
• The ADHD perspective
• Resources and next steps

Let’s get real about building with AI.

Part 1: Understanding the Tools Ecosystem

When to Use What

Claude Web (claude.ai)

✅ Use for:

• Planning a project before you code
• Learning concepts
• “How do I approach this problem?”
• Brainstorming architecture
• Understanding errors

❌ Don’t use for:

• Actually writing code files
• Managing real projects
• File operations

Example: Before building my murder mystery game, I used Claude web to:

• Plan the overall structure
• Understand Typst (the typesetting tool)
• Design the automation workflow

Then I switched to Claude Code to actually build it.

Claude Code (CLI)

✅ Use for:

• Building real projects
• Creating/editing files
• Running commands
• Setting up infrastructure
• Automated workflows

❌ Don’t use for:

• Quick questions (web is faster)
• Just learning (no need for file access)

Example: I used Claude Code to:

• Create 100+ character sheets from templates
• Build Python automation scripts
• Set up Git hooks
• Create Makefile for project commands

The Pattern:

1. Plan in Claude web
2. Build in Claude Code
3. Iterate based on results

What’s an MCP Server?

MCP = Model Context Protocol

In simple terms: A way for Claude to talk to your apps/services.

Example:

I built an event planning app with a database.

I created an MCP server that lets Claude:

• Create events
• Add tasks
• Search vendors
• All by just asking in natural language

Without MCP:

Me: "Add a task to event 4"
Claude: "You need to make an API call to..."
Me: [copies curl command, runs it manually]

With MCP:

Me: @eventflow create task for event 4: "Book photographer"
Claude: [does it directly]
Done! Task created.

Do you need this right away?

No. It’s advanced.

Learn the basics first.

Come back to MCP when you have a project that would benefit.

Part 2: Real Project Walkthrough

Mystery Crime Party: Christmas Murder Dinner 1926

The goal: Create a complete murder mystery game for 11 players, with character sheets, clues, props lists, and game master materials.

The challenge: 100+ pages of content, needed automation, version control, and build system.

How I structured it (with Claude’s help):

Mystery_Crime_Party/
├── 00_PROJECT_DOCS/           # Master plans, checklists
├── 01_CORE_NARRATIVE/         # Story, timeline, solution
├── 02_CHARACTERS/             # One folder per character
│   ├── HELENA/
│   ├── VICTORIA/
│   └── ... (11 characters)
├── 03_UNIVERSAL_MATERIALS/    # Clues everyone gets
├── 04_GAME_MASTER_MATERIALS/  # My secret notes
├── 06_PROPS_AND_PHYSICAL/     # What to buy/make
├── 07_FOOD_AND_LOGISTICS/     # Party planning
├── 08_REFERENCE_AND_RESEARCH/ # 1920s research
├── 09_DESIGN_ASSETS/          # Images, graphics
├── scripts/                   # Automation scripts
└── Makefile                   # Build commands

Key files Claude helped create:

Makefile - automation commands

make ingest         # Create digest for LLMs
make pdf-helena     # Convert character notes to PDF
make pdf-all-chars  # Convert ALL characters to PDFs
make stats          # Show project statistics
make clean          # Remove generated files

install-hooks.sh - Git automation

#!/bin/bash
# Installs Git pre-commit hooks
# Validates content before commits

README.md - project documentation

# Christmas Murder Dinner 1926

Complete murder mystery game for 11 players.

## Quick Start
...

What I Asked Claude

Session 1: Project Setup

I need to organize a murder mystery game project.
I'll have 11 characters, universal clues, props, food planning,
and game master materials.

Create a numbered folder structure with a README explaining each folder.

Session 2: Automation

I need a Makefile that can:
- Convert all character notes.md files to PDFs using pandoc
- Create a digest of the repository for sharing with LLMs
- Show statistics by folder
- Clean up generated files

Session 3: Git Hooks

Create a pre-commit Git hook that validates:
- All markdown files are properly formatted
- No duplicate character names
- All references between files are valid

What Worked

✅ Numbered folders kept everything organized ✅ Makefile made complex commands simple (make pdf-all-chars) ✅ Automation scripts saved HOURS of manual work ✅ Git version control let me experiment fearlessly ✅ Clear README meant I could return to the project after weeks and remember everything

What Didn’t Work (At First)

❌ First folder structure was too nested → reorganized ❌ Git hooks broke on first try → iterated with Claude ❌ Pandoc PDF generation had formatting issues → tuned parameters ❌ Forgot to document my scripts → added comments later

None of this was catastrophic.

Because Git meant I could undo mistakes.

Because Claude helped me fix issues as they came up.

That’s the workflow.

Part 3: The Honest Truths

What AI Can’t Do

AI won’t:

• Make creative decisions for you
• Know what you want without you explaining
• Work perfectly on the first try
• Replace you learning things
• Understand context it hasn’t seen
• Fix problems it doesn’t know about

You still need to:

• Direct the work
• Provide clear requirements
• Review what it creates
• Understand the code (at least somewhat)
• Make final decisions
• Learn from what it builds

What AI CAN Do

AI will:

• Write code way faster than you could
• Explain complex concepts simply
• Generate boilerplate/scaffolding instantly
• Help debug errors
• Suggest solutions you wouldn’t think of
• Keep working when you’re stuck
• Amplify your abilities massively

Real example:

I needed Git hooks for my project.

Without AI:

• Research Git hooks (2 hours)
• Learn bash scripting (4 hours)
• Write hook script (2 hours)
• Debug issues (3 hours)
• Total: ~11 hours

With Claude Code:

• “Create a pre-commit hook that validates markdown files”
• Claude creates it (2 minutes)
• Test it, ask for fixes (15 minutes)
• Total: ~20 minutes

Did I learn less?

No! I learned by reading what Claude created and asking it to explain.

Did I save time?

Absolutely.

Part 4: The ADHD Perspective (Real Talk)

If you have ADHD, you know: context switching is death.

The Problem

You’re in flow, building something.

You hit a roadblock (need to learn Git hooks).

You have two choices:

1. Stop and learn (lose flow, might not come back)
2. Skip it (project incomplete)

Both suck.

With AI: Option 3

Ask Claude, keep flowing

"I need a Git hook that runs before commits.
Create it and explain how it works."

Claude builds it.

You stay in flow.

You learn by reading the code.

Momentum preserved.

Why This Matters

For ADHD brains (and honestly, everyone), this is huge.

I built a 100+ page game in 2 weeks because I could stay in hyperfocus.

Every time I hit a technical blocker, Claude unblocked me in minutes.

That’s the difference between “finished” and “abandoned in a folder.”

The Hyperfocus Enabler

Without Claude:

• Stop creative work
• Learn Python deeply
• Figure out Typst automation
• Debug build scripts for hours
• Lose creative flow

With Claude:

• Stay in creative flow
• Ask for automation as needed
• Get working systems fast
• Keep momentum going

This matters. For ADHD brains, this is everything.

Part 5: Resources That Actually Help

Documentation (Read These Parts First)

Claude Code Docs: https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/claude-code

→ Read: “Getting Started”, “Core Concepts” → Skip (for now): Advanced features, MCP servers

Git: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2

→ Read: Chapters 1-3 (basics) → Skip: Advanced branching, server setup

VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs

→ Read: “Getting Started”, “User Interface” → Skip: Extensions, debugging (until you need them)

When You’re Stuck

1. Read the error message

• All of it
• Google the key part
• Someone’s solved this before

2. Check GitHub Issues

• https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues
• Search for your error
• Read solutions

3. Ask Claude (web or Code)

"I got this error: [paste error]
What does it mean and how do I fix it?"

4. Community

• Reddit: r/ClaudeAI
• Discord: Anthropic community
• Twitter: #ClaudeCode hashtag

Next Steps (After You’re Comfortable)

Level 2:

• MCP servers for app integration
• Custom scripts and automation
• Advanced Git (branching, merging)
• CI/CD pipelines

Level 3:

• Deploy to production
• Set up databases
• API integrations
• Containerization (Docker)

Don’t rush these.

Master the basics first.

Continue Your Journey

Ready to build a website? Check out Part 3: Building with Hugo for a complete guide to:

• Building portfolio sites
• Hugo from scratch
• GitHub Pages deployment
• Automated workflows

Want to see real examples? The Building in Public series documents my actual learning process (including all the mistakes).

Need EventFlow inspiration? Read about building a production app with FastAPI, AI agents, and type-safe extraction.

Part 6: The Reality Check

It’s Not Magic

Setting this up takes effort.

Learning the tools takes time.

You’ll get stuck.

You’ll get frustrated.

That’s normal.

It’s Still Work

AI doesn’t replace work.

It changes the work.

Instead of:

• Writing boilerplate → Reviewing code Claude wrote
• Debugging for hours → Asking Claude to explain the error
• Learning everything first → Learning by doing with guidance

You’re still the one making it happen.

AI is the amplifier.

But It’s POSSIBLE Work

Here’s what I’ve built:

• 100+ page murder mystery game
• Automated typesetting pipeline
• Event planning platforms
• Backend APIs with databases
• Frontend UIs
• Automated build systems
• Git hooks and workflows

I’m not a developer.

I’m someone who had ideas and AI helped me build them.

If I can do this, you can too.

Part 7: The Roadmap Forward

Week 2: Level Up

• Create a .gitignore file
• Use a .env file for configuration
• Create a README.md documenting your project
• Make a backup folder before major changes
• Push to GitHub (optional but recommended)

Month 1: Getting Comfortable

• Have helper scripts (start.sh, build.sh, etc)
• Understand git workflow (add, commit, push)
• Know when to use Claude web vs Claude Code
• Have a project structure pattern you like
• Built at least one complete project

Month 3: Building Confidence

The first week is the hardest.

Everything’s new.

Every error feels like a wall.

Push through.

After week 2, things click.

After a month, you’ll wonder how you worked without AI.

After 3 months, you’ll be building things you never thought you could.

I’ve seen it happen.

It happened to me.

It’ll happen to you.

The Thank You

To “nobody”:

Thank you for helping when I was frustrated.

For explaining the “obvious” things that weren’t obvious.

For not making me feel stupid for not knowing.

That’s what this guide tries to be for others.

To the tools:

Claude Code, Git, VS Code, and the entire ecosystem.

You enabled things I couldn’t do alone.

To you, reading this:

If you’re stuck, frustrated, confused - you’re not alone.

Everyone starts here.

The difference is pushing through.

You’ve got this. 💙

What You’ve Learned

Part 1 + Part 2 combined:

✅ How to set up Claude Code and your dev environment ✅ What terminals, Git, and VS Code actually are ✅ How to fix common problems (Permission Denied, etc) ✅ When to use Claude web vs Claude Code ✅ How to structure real projects ✅ What AI can and can’t do ✅ How to maintain flow while learning ✅ Where to go for help

You’re ready.

Not to know everything.

Not to never get stuck.

But to start building.

And that’s what matters.

Going Further

Want more?

Follow #artifactum for the full series on building the murder mystery game:

• Creative workflow with AI
• Automated typesetting with Typst
• Physical production and binding
• The complete AI toolkit I use

Questions? Leave a comment. I’ll help if I can.

Because someone helped me. Now I help you. That’s how this works. ✨

Last updated: 2025-01-19

This is a living document - will be updated as I learn more.

Final Thought

You’re not trying to become a professional developer.

You’re trying to build the thing you imagined.

AI makes that possible.

Even if you’re “not technical.”

Even if you have ADHD and lose focus.

Even if you’ve never coded before.

The tools exist.

The knowledge is accessible.

You can do this.

Now go build something. 💙✨