My top 5 takeaways on converting a prototype to a real SaaS app from my interview with Colin:
1. Most SaaS apps need 6 core integrations. Unlike prototypes, real apps are full stack and typically include authentication (Google, GitHub), payment (Stripe), email (SendGrid), file storage, analytics (PostHog), and error logging (Sentry). Without these, you can’t easily onboard users, collect money, or identify bugs.
2. Start with production-ready templates instead of building from scratch. SaaS templates (e.g., from Vercel) come with auth, payments, and databases already built-in. Starting your SaaS app with these templates is much easier than trying to get AI to build from scratch.
3. Vibe coded apps have obvious mistakes if you look closely. For example, Colin found mentions of “localhost 3001” in my vibe coded photo app. Always review AI-generated code (or get AI to review 😅) and check for hardcoded local URLs, improper file handling, and security flaws.
4. Be careful of security flaws in AI coding tools that use Supabase databases. By default, Supabase’s Row Level Security (RLS) is disabled, meaning any user can see data in your app’s database (e.g., emails). To avoid this, manually configure RLS in Supabase settings.
5. Stop chasing credentials and certificates. From Colin: “I’m not a fan of credentials to advance your tech career. What matters is getting hands on practice and actually building something. Build a side project that makes revenue — that’s much more impressive than a course certificate.”
Here's exactly how to convert a vibe coded prototype to a real SaaS app in 40 min.
In my new episode with Colin (taught 8,500 students AI coding), he shows:
✅ 6 components every real SaaS app needs
✅ Live demo: Converting my AI photo prototype to a real SaaS app with Claude Code
✅ The security flaw in vibe coded apps that most people don't know about 😬
Some quotes from Colin:
"A prototype is just a pretty picture. A real SaaS app needs client, server, database, and third-party integrations."
"AI makes better decisions if you start with a SaaS template because it's looking at existing patterns instead of building things from scratch."
"Many vibe coding tools are insecure. Any user can access any information in your Supabase database if you don't configure it properly."
Colin is the real deal for practical AI coding.
📌 Watch now:
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Also available on:
Spotify:
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Apple:
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Newsletter:
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