How I Use AI to Supercharge Side Project Development

Introduction

In the world of software development, side projects are the playground where creativity meets innovation. But let's be real—balancing these projects with a full-time job can be a grind. What if I told you that AI could help you ship these side projects 10x faster? Let me walk you through my personal workflow, sharing specific tools, prompts, and habits that have been game-changers in my development process.

Setting Up My AI-Powered Toolkit

To kickstart my projects, I rely on a suite of AI tools. These are my go-to:

• GitHub Copilot: This tool is my coding assistant, predicting code snippets as I type.
• Cursor: Ideal for navigating through large codebases swiftly.
• Tact: This AI-powered tool helps me refine my prompts and messages, saving time on communication.

With such tools, I not only enhance my coding efficiency but also sharpen my communication skills, which is essential when collaborating remotely.

Project Example: Building a Personal Portfolio

For my personal portfolio project, here's how I utilized AI to speed up development:

Initial Setup

Initially, setting up a portfolio website seemed daunting. However, with AI's help, I was able to streamline the process significantly.

// Prompt sent to ChatGPT using Tact's AI Prompt Mode
"Create a step-by-step guide for setting up a portfolio using React and Next.js."

This prompt returned a detailed guide, cutting down setup time from two days to just a few hours.

Optimizing Code Quality

With GitHub Copilot, I could generate boilerplate React components instantly. Here's a before and after comparison:

Before: Manually writing each React component, taking up to an hour per component.

After: Using Copilot to generate components in minutes, with only slight modifications needed.

Time Comparison: Before and After AI

Let's look at a time comparison for this project:

• Without AI: Approximately three weeks to complete.
• With AI: Completed in just under a week.

These tools don't just speed up coding—they transform the entire workflow, making room for more creativity and experimentation.

Daily Habits for Maximizing Efficiency

To fully leverage AI, I've developed a few habits:

• Dedicated AI Time: Spending 30 minutes a day exploring new AI capabilities.
• Structured Prompts: Using Tact to refine and optimize prompts, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Continuous Learning: Keeping up with AI advancements to remain ahead in my projects.

Conclusion

By incorporating AI into my workflow, I not only accelerate development but also enhance the quality of my projects. With tools like Tact optimizing my prompts, I ensure that every interaction with AI is productive, helping me ship side projects 10x faster.