The Challenge
The "Blank Page Problem" in Mobile Development. Building a cross-platform mobile app typically requires a team: a designer for UI, a backend engineer for the database, a mobile developer for React Native, and a DevOps engineer for deployment. I wanted to prove that a single operator, leveraging an AI stack, could collapse this entire workflow into a one-person sprint.
The Approach
I acted as the "Product Manager" and treated AI tools as specialized employees:
1. The Architect (Claude): Instead of writing "npx init", I fed my PRD to Claude, which generated the full Expo/React Native structure, navigation logic, and core component architecture.
2. The Builder (Cursor AI): Used Cursor's "Composer" for the dev loop. I highlighted code and prompted "Make this animation match iOS guidelines" or "Fix this dependency conflict," effectively pair-programming with an AI that knew my entire codebase.
3. The Backend (Supabase): Used Supabase's AI tools to generate the SQL schema for conversation categories and user favorites instantly, then had Cursor write the API hooks to bridge frontend and backend.
4. The Deployment (Expo EAS): Automated the notoriously difficult App Store submission process using AI-generated EAS configurations to build and submit binaries to Apple and Google.
Key Outcomes & Legacy
- Speed to Market: Went from idea to App Store submission in record time, bypassing weeks of boilerplate coding
- Cost Efficiency: Built a fully functional, database-backed app with $0 in initial labor costs
- Quality: Achieved a polished, native-feel UI compliant with Apple Human Interface Guidelines
- Live Product: Successfully deployed "Conversation Starter" to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store