Stop telling Claude Code to “just build the whole app.” That’s how you get a broken mess with no structure, no security, and no idea where things went wrong.
There’s a better way. It’s called GSD (Get Sh*t Done). And it changed how I build everything.
Why Your Current Workflow Is Broken
I’m Charles Dove. I run CC Strategic Consulting and build in public at Charlie Automates on YouTube. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 12 years. I’ve built a lot of apps with Claude Code.
Here’s what most people do. They feed Claude a big prompt. “Build me a to-do app with authentication and a database.” Claude tries to do it all at once. It skips steps. It forgets things. You end up debugging for hours.
The problem isn’t Claude. The problem is how you’re directing it.
When you dump an entire project into one prompt, you’re asking Claude to hold too much in its head at once. No structure. No checkpoints. No way to test as you go.
GSD fixes all of that.
What Is GSD (Get Sh*t Done)?
GSD is a context engineering plugin for Claude Code. Think of it as a project manager that sits inside your terminal.
Here’s what it actually does:
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Breaks your project into phases. Instead of building everything at once, GSD creates a roadmap. Each phase has clear goals and deliverables.
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Creates planning files. It generates a project markdown file, a state file, and a roadmap. These files track where you are at every step.
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Manages context clearing. This is the big one. Claude’s context window fills up fast. GSD tells you when to clear and gives you the exact command to resume. Fresh context every phase, but it remembers everything through those markdown files.
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Asks you questions. Unlike a raw prompt, GSD is inquisitive. It asks about your tech stack, your preferences, your constraints. It doesn’t assume. It discovers.
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Tracks progress with a state file. You can see you’re at 7%, 21%, 40%, whatever. You always know where you are in the build.
That last point matters more than you think. When you’re building something and you don’t know how far along you are, you start guessing. Guessing leads to bad decisions.
How I Built a Full App in 3 Hours
I wanted to show this in action. So I built ClearList, an AI-powered to-do list app. Full stack. Authentication. Database. Deployed live. Three hours total.
Here’s the exact process.
Step 1: Generate Your Idea
First, go to your language model of choice. I used Claude. Dictate your idea. Just talk about what you want to build.
I said something like, “I want an AI-powered to-do list where you can brain dump tasks and it organizes them for you.”
The key here is tinkering. You don’t need a perfect idea. If you want to build just to learn, feed it any old idea. The point is getting reps in.
But if you’re building something real, I suggest scraping Reddit or talking to your ideal prospect. Find out their pain points before you write a single line of code.
Step 2: Install GSD and Start a New Project
You plug the install command into Claude Code. When you type /gsd, you’ll see “new project.” Click that.
Take the project idea from Step 1 and paste it in. GSD processes it and starts asking questions.
This is where it gets good. GSD asks about:
- How many features you want in the MVP
- What tech stack you prefer (I chose Supabase, OpenAI API, and Vercel)
- Whether you want standard or aggressive pacing
I picked standard. It created the project markdown file, the planning folder, and laid out every phase.
Step 3: Let GSD Create the Roadmap
GSD creates a roadmap with all the phases it needs to build. For ClearList, it broke the project into about 7 phases. Each one focused on a specific piece:
- Phase 1: Project setup and planning
- Phase 2: Database and authentication
- Phase 3: Core task management UI
- Phase 4: AI integration
- Phase 5: Polish and testing
- Phase 6: Deployment
- Phase 7: Final configuration
The beauty here is structure. You’re not just saying “hey Claude, build this app for us.” GSD follows top-level engineering principles. It handles client security. It sets up databases properly. At every stop, there’s a human checkpoint so you can test before moving forward.
Step 4: Clear Context and Build Phase by Phase
After each phase completes, GSD tells you to clear your context. You copy the next command, type /clear, paste it in, and go.
Every time you clear, Claude starts with a fresh context window. But it reads the state file and knows exactly where you left off. That’s context engineering.
I kept clearing and pasting the next prompt. Phase after phase. The state file updated from 0% to 7% to 21% to 40% and kept climbing.
The Supabase Setup (Where You Need to Pay Attention)
When you hit the database phase, you need to get involved. GSD created the .env file with placeholders for your Supabase project URL and anon key.
Here’s what I did. I told Claude to boot up Chrome, go to Supabase, and create a new project. Using the Claude Chrome extension, it literally controlled my browser. It navigated to Supabase, created the project, and started pulling keys.
But here’s the critical lesson: watch what it’s doing.
As much as we want Claude to do things for us, we have to understand what’s happening. When it grabbed the API key, I noticed it was pulling the regular key, not the anon public key. I caught that because I was watching.
If it doesn’t work, it’s probably the credentials. Pay attention to that.
The SQL edits for creating tables? That’s fine to let Claude handle. It knows how to build the database based on the phases. But the keys? Double-check those yourself.
The Chrome Extension Is a Game Changer
One thing I’d recommend: get the Claude Google Chrome extension. Just Google “Claude Google Chrome extension.” Those exact words.
Once you have it, type d-chrome in Claude Code and it activates Chrome. Claude can then control your browser, navigate to services, set things up, and even troubleshoot issues by taking screenshots.
I set up an alias called CDD that does three things every time I launch Claude:
- Continues dangerously (skips permission prompts)
- Activates Chrome automatically
- Starts in my workspace
So I don’t have to type all that every single time. I just type CDD and everything fires up.
You could ask Claude to build this alias for you. Just say, “Can you add the d-chrome command as part of my CDD alias?” Done.
Testing and Troubleshooting (The Real Process)
Here’s what most tutorials don’t show you. Things break. A lot.
When I tested the magic link login, it sent me to a different app. Not ClearList. The redirect URL was wrong.
Did I panic? No. I screenshotted the error. I fed it to Claude. I said, “This is what’s going on. How can I fix it?”
Claude went to the project settings in Supabase through the Chrome extension. It updated the URL configuration for localhost. Fixed.
Then I tested again. Something else went wrong. Screenshotted it again. Fed it back. Fixed again.
That process is how you learn. Screenshot, snippet, boom. Feed it to Claude. “What’s going on? How can I fix it?” That cycle of building, breaking, fixing, and understanding is the whole game.
If you’re following along and building your own app, you’ll hit these same walls. That’s normal. That’s the process.
The AI Integration Phase
Once the core app was working (tasks, checkboxes, deletion all functional), GSD moved to Phase 4: AI integration.
This is where the OpenAI API key comes in. You don’t need it until this phase. GSD is smart enough to know when to ask for it.
The AI feature lets you brain dump a messy list of tasks and the AI organizes them for you. Type in something like, “I need to take my 4 PM sales call, post twice on social media, wrap up my long form video, make dog food, and shower.” The AI sorts and prioritizes it.
Supabase Tiers and Payments
At this point in the build, I want to mention something about Supabase. You can create tiers of login. Right now, ClearList uses magic link login. But you could create different levels: basic, next level, and pro.
When you’re connecting a payment option, Stripe has all the API keys you need. Test and sandbox environments. Get that working if you want to charge for your app.
I handled the Stripe setup off camera. If you have questions about it, you can ask inside the CC Strategic AI community on Skool.
Deployment on Vercel
The final step is deploying. Create a Vercel account. Log in with the same login you use on GitHub so the repositories connect.
Pick your project. I picked ClearList. Vercel formats it and deploys it.
Since I had the Chrome extension set up, I let Claude run through and configure a lot of the deployment settings automatically. It set up the environment variables on Vercel. Added the domain. Pushed it live.
You get a free Vercel domain out of the box. When you’re ready to go live for real, buy your own domain and reconfigure the URLs in both Vercel and Supabase.
The deployment link goes into Supabase’s URL configuration so magic link authentication works on the live site, not just localhost.
Why This Matters for Non-Engineers
I’m not a traditional engineer. I’m sure some engineers watching this will tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. That’s fine.
I build MVPs that actually make money. That’s the perspective I’m coming from. AI beginner to intermediate.
The goal isn’t to build an app blindly. It’s to learn throughout the process. If there’s something you don’t understand, open another terminal, open Claude, and ask questions about what’s happening.
Claude isn’t just your code assistant. It’s your personal tutor. Ask it, “What does this actually mean?” Use it to learn while you build.
The Full Stack I Used
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Claude Code | AI coding assistant in the terminal |
| GSD Plugin | Context engineering and project management |
| Supabase | Database, authentication, and row-level security |
| OpenAI API | AI-powered task organization |
| Vercel | Hosting and deployment |
| Chrome Extension | Browser control from Claude Code |
| GitHub | Version control and repository management |
This stack is powerful. Everything works together. Claude controls the browser through the Chrome extension, talks to Supabase for the database, uses OpenAI for AI features, and deploys to Vercel.
Key Lessons from This Build
1. Structure beats speed. GSD forces you to build in phases. It’s slower at first but saves you hours of debugging later.
2. Context engineering is the real skill. Clearing context and using markdown files to maintain state is how professionals build with AI. It’s not about one giant prompt.
3. Watch what Claude does with your keys. Automation is great. But credentials need your attention. Always verify.
4. Troubleshooting is the job. Things will break. Screenshots plus Claude equals solutions. Don’t fear errors. Learn from them.
5. Tinkering is learning. Build just to build. You don’t need a million-dollar idea to practice. Every app teaches you something.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GSD for Claude Code?
GSD (Get Sh*t Done) is a context engineering plugin for Claude Code. It breaks your project into phases, creates planning files, manages context clearing, and tracks your progress through a state file. It gives Claude the structure it needs to build real applications without losing track of what it’s doing.
Do I need to know how to code to use GSD?
No. That’s the whole point. GSD walks you through each phase and asks questions along the way. If you don’t understand something, you can open a second Claude terminal and ask it to explain. The goal is learning while building.
How much does Claude Code cost for something like this?
I used the Max plan. The whole ClearList build took about 2 to 3 hours of Claude time. You could also spread it across sessions since GSD’s state file remembers where you left off.
What’s the difference between GSD and just prompting Claude directly?
When you prompt Claude directly, it tries to do everything at once. No structure. No checkpoints. No way to test as you go. GSD breaks the build into phases, asks clarifying questions, creates a roadmap, and gives you human checkpoints at every stage. It’s the difference between throwing paint at a wall and painting by numbers.
Can I use GSD for any type of project?
Yes. GSD works for any app you want to build with Claude Code. To-do lists, client portals, SaaS tools, dashboards, anything. The plugin adapts to whatever project idea you feed it.
What tech stack should I use?
I recommend Supabase for the database and auth, Vercel for hosting, and whatever AI API fits your use case (OpenAI, Claude API, etc.). This stack is free to start, scales well, and Claude knows it inside and out.
How do I handle errors during the build?
Screenshot the error. Feed it to Claude. Ask, “What’s going on and how do I fix it?” That’s the whole process. The Chrome extension makes this even easier because Claude can see your browser directly.
Is the Claude Chrome extension required?
Not required, but highly recommended. It lets Claude control your browser, navigate to services like Supabase and Vercel, and even pull API keys for you. It saves a ton of time on setup and troubleshooting.
If you’re building with Claude Code and you’re not using GSD, you’re working way harder than you need to. Structure your builds. Clear your context. Test at every phase.
Want to go deeper? Join CC Strategic AI on Skool where I break down the details. Or work with me 1-on-1 if you want personalized help building your own app.
Subscribe to @charlieautomates on YouTube for more tutorials like this. I’ll see you in the next one.