Context
As an English learner, I've long struggled to grow my vocabulary. After trying various approaches, I discovered the most effective method for me was to write down new words or terms, along with their usage, when they appeared in their natural context.
Two years ago, I started using Quizlet, but I found it confusing and distracting. It had many features I didn't need; I just wanted a simple app to help me build my vocabulary.
So I decided to develop LingoBun, the vocabulary builder that I want to use. In this series, I'll share how I'm developing it—the methods, the challenges, and how I'm solving them.
From Sketch to Working Prototype in One Day
One of the most exciting things about this project is that I took the idea from a back-of-the-napkin sketch to a working prototype in a single day.
Although not all features are finished yet, most core functionality and pages are already in place, and the interface is surprisingly intuitive.
Why It Was Possible
This speed was largely thanks to advances in web-development tooling:
- Modern front-end frameworks like Next.js are more powerful than ever.
- Server-side rendering (SSR) and React’s Suspense significantly improve first-paint times and SEO.
- Server Components let you colocate server and client logic, removing boilerplate API layers.
- High-quality component libraries such as Shadcn make early prototypes look and feel polished.
- Traditionally, prototypes focus on function over form while designers later build pixel-perfect mockups in Figma.
- With a good component library, you can get high-fidelity, testable interfaces right away, saving huge amounts of time.
- Developer-friendly deployment platforms like Vercel streamline the process even further.
- Their simple CLI and intuitive dashboard make it possible to deploy a working app in minutes and scale as needed.
These tools together make it far easier for solo developers or small teams to move from idea to working software at speed, even without leaning on AI-assisted tools.
Conclusion
In this first part of the series, I've shared how LingoBun went from concept to prototype in a day, thanks to modern development tools. Some argue that relying on ready-made tools discourages developers from learning the fundamentals. I disagree, because it takes judgement and experience to select the right tools from a crowded ecosystem, and doing so can actually accelerate your learning and enhance your productivity.
In the next part, I'll dive into specific implementation challenges and how I tackled them.