Crash Course

Objective

  • Create strong documentation that outlines the logic and todo list BEFORE building anything.
    • Every inch of the project must be planned out first and you MUST understand the logic
    • Avoid HOURS of debugging and logic mistakes
  • This will be an iterative process, never accept the first output until you understand every step and comfortable the plan meets the requirement.
  • If you do not understand every step in the logic, open a new chat and ask it to explain the concept to you. .

Examples:

  • AI may default to adding Docker for local development (usally not needed). If it is included in the logic plan or todo list, this is a problem.
    • Ask it why is it being included? → 1 step to avoid hours of debugging issues

Structure

  1. Create a folder called “logic”.
  2. Using Cursor/Claude Code/Codex, outline the logic of what you’re trying to do. This will be an iterative process, never accept the first output until you understand every step. If
    1. Use the best models - gpt-5-high and/or opus 4.1
    2. Tell it to only focus on the logic and no code
    3. Review every single part of the plan
    4. Ask it:
      1. “What else am i not thinking about”
      2. “I am trying to do [objective]. does this plan meet the requirements?”
        1. [objective] = detailed explanation of the entire user flow
    5. Continuously improve the plan until you feel comfortable that it looks good
    6. Create a Markdown file (md) file that includes this logic
  3. Using the markdown file, create a todo list
    1. The todo list should include **phases (**steps on how the implementation should be done) and tests for each phase
    2. No code should be outlined here
    3. Review the todo list to make sure it matches
      1. You need to ensure consistency between the logic plan and the todo list
    4. Ask it:
      1. At the end - “Does the todo list match the logic plan?”
  4. When the logic plan and todo list is complete:
    1. Start building:
      1. “review the @document logic plan and the todo list @document. begin implementing phase 1”
    2. After each phase is complete:
      1. “update the todo list @document based on these changes. add detailed notes on what was completed”
        • “detailed notes” may include service keys or specific information for the project (i.e. implemenation_todo.md - below)
      2. “verify that it works with the test” or “show me how to run the test” → this may be applicable if you’re doing frontend work vs. backend
    3. Continue:
      1. “continue with phase 2”

Recommendation

  • Direct Web
    • Use ChatGPT
    • Use Claude
  • Terminal
    • Use Claude Code plan mode and mentioning think in the prompt
    • Use Codex and switch model to gpt-5-high