Drop this into any project folder and start building real software with Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex. No coding experience required.
This isn't a framework. It's a set of config files and slash commands that turn your AI coding tool into a disciplined development partner -- one that plans before it codes, reviews its own work, and keeps a paper trail.
Based on the workflow Zevi Arnovitz (PM at Meta) used to build StudyMate -- a revenue-generating app he shipped solo without writing code. Adapted here for multi-tool support.
v2 adds artifact persistence, small batch constraints, and work mode routing. See What's New in v2.
- 3 config files -- works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex simultaneously
- 8 slash commands -- enforced workflow from idea to shipped feature
- Cross-model review -- different AIs validate each other's work
- Progress tracking -- markdown plans with status markers
- First principles guide -- the reasoning behind the system, so you can build your own
/create-issue → Capture idea or bug
/explore → Analyze the problem, save findings to file
/create-plan → Generate implementation plan (links to exploration)
/execute → Build step-by-step (~20-50 lines per task)
/review → Self-review for bugs (appended to plan)
/peer-review → Cross-model validation (appended to plan)
/document → Update architecture docs
/learn → Understand complex concepts (use anytime)
Describe fix → Code it → /review → Ship
See docs/WORKFLOW.md for detailed decision criteria.
# 1. Copy template to your project
cp -r project-kit/ ~/projects/my-new-project/
cd ~/projects/my-new-project/
# 2. Customize CLAUDE.md (replace [PLACEHOLDERS])
vim CLAUDE.md
# 3. Open in your editor
cursor . # or: code .
# 4. Start building
# Type /create-issue to capture your first featureRead SETUP.md for complete instructions.
v2 was shaped by a first-principles analysis of the workflow. Three gaps were identified and closed:
Before: /explore findings and /review results lived only in the chat session. Close the window, lose the reasoning.
Now:
/exploresaves findings toplans/YYYY-MM-DD-[slug]-exploration.md/reviewappends its summary to the plan file under## Review Log/peer-reviewappends validated findings to the same review log/create-planlinks back to the exploration file
The plan file becomes the complete record: what was explored, what was built, and what was reviewed.
Before: No limit on task size. The AI could generate a "Build the entire checkout flow" task with 400 lines.
Now:
- Each task should produce roughly 20-50 lines of code changes
- Tasks larger than ~50 lines get broken into subtasks
- Phases with more than 5 tasks get split into two phases
- Plan quality checklist enforces this before execution begins
Before: One workflow for everything. A CSS color change went through 8 phases.
Now: Two modes, determined before work starts:
| Mode | When | Workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Fix | < 20 lines, no new files, no data/auth changes | Code it → /review → Ship |
| Full Build | Everything else | All 8 phases |
When in doubt, use Full Build. The cost of over-planning is minutes; the cost of under-planning is hours.
The problem: AI coding tools are eager to write code without understanding the problem. That leads to bugs, rework, and frustration.
The fix: Force planning before coding using slash commands.
What makes it different:
- Your project folder IS the CTO -- no separate ChatGPT window needed
- Multi-tool support -- Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex all read the same config
- Cross-model review -- different models catch different bugs
- "Less context" framing -- primary model validates peer findings (prevents false positives)
- Artifact persistence -- exploration, review, and peer review results survive across sessions
- Work mode routing -- right amount of process for the size of the change
- Small batch enforcement -- tasks capped at ~50 lines to keep changes reviewable
your-project/
├── CLAUDE.md ← CTO system prompt (main config)
├── .cursorrules ← Cursor config (points to CLAUDE.md)
├── AGENTS.md ← Codex/OpenCode config (points to CLAUDE.md)
├── FIRST-PRINCIPLES.md ← The reasoning behind the system
├── .claude/commands/ ← Slash commands (8 files)
├── .cursor/commands/ ← Same commands for Cursor (keep in sync)
├── docs/
│ ├── ARCHITECTURE.md ← System design (template -- customize)
│ ├── TECH-STACK.md ← Technology choices (template -- customize)
│ ├── WORKFLOW.md ← How we work
│ ├── decisions/ ← ADRs (created during use)
│ └── backlog/ ← Issues (created during use)
├── plans/ ← Exploration + execution plans (created during use)
├── SETUP.md ← Setup instructions
└── README.md ← This file
Note: The docs/ARCHITECTURE.md and docs/TECH-STACK.md files are templates with placeholders. You'll need to customize them for your specific project -- they're meant to be filled in as you build, not used as-is.
- Non-technical PMs who want to build products with AI
- Solo founders building MVPs
- Junior engineers learning to build with AI
- Anyone shipping side projects with AI tools
For multi-person teams: This template is built for solo builders. If you need RFCs, handoffs, multi-model validation pipelines, and tiered process scaling, see agentic-ai-dev-team-setup.
Tools (at least one):
- Cursor (recommended for beginners)
- VS Code with Claude Code extension
- VS Code with Codex/Copilot extension
AI subscriptions (recommended):
- Claude Pro ($20/mo) -- for Claude Code
- ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo) -- for Codex (optional)
- Cursor Pro ($20/mo) -- for Cursor Composer (optional)
Total cost: $20-60/mo depending on which tools you use.
This works with any stack -- React, Vue, Svelte, Next.js, Python, Go, whatever. Just customize CLAUDE.md and docs/TECH-STACK.md for your choices.
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
SETUP.md |
Complete setup guide (start here) |
CLAUDE.md |
CTO system prompt (customize this) |
docs/WORKFLOW.md |
Detailed workflow guide |
docs/ARCHITECTURE.md |
System design template |
docs/TECH-STACK.md |
Technology choices template |
FIRST-PRINCIPLES.md |
The reasoning behind the system |
This template encodes a specific set of opinions. If you want to build your own AI development workflow from scratch, start with FIRST-PRINCIPLES.md -- it distills 15 principles from elite engineering teams (Google SRE, DORA, Linear, NASA KM) into a reference you can use to design your own system.
The principles are tool-agnostic and process-agnostic. They describe what matters without prescribing how to implement it.
Inspired by: Zevi Arnovitz (Meta PM) -- original workflow creator, shared on Lenny's Podcast
Adapted by: Benison Joseph
Unlicense -- public domain. Use however you want. No attribution required.
This is a template, not a framework -- so contributions look a bit different:
- Bug fixes (broken links, typos, incorrect instructions): PRs welcome
- New slash commands or workflow improvements: Open an issue first to discuss
- Adaptations for your stack: Fork it -- that's what it's for
No formal process. Keep it simple.