Full-Stack Development with Bolt.new — Build Entire Apps with AI

What is Bolt.new?

Bolt.new is an AI-powered development environment that lets you create complete, full-stack web applications using only natural language. Unlike tools that focus on just the UI, Bolt.new can generate:

• Frontend — React, Vue, or Svelte components
• Backend — API routes, serverless functions
• Database — Schema, queries, and migrations
• Authentication — User login, sessions, protected routes
• External APIs — Integration with third-party services

It’s like having a senior full-stack developer available 24/7.

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Getting Started

Step 1: Access Bolt.new

Visit bolt.new and sign up with your GitHub account. The free tier gives you limited generations per month.

Step 2: Start a New Project

Click “New Project” and choose your stack:

• Next.js (recommended)
• Remix
• Nuxt
• SvelteKit

Step 3: Describe Your App

This is where the magic happens. Type a detailed description of what you want to build.

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Your First App: A Task Manager

Let’s build a complete task management application.

Initial Prompt

Build a task management app with:
- User authentication (sign up, login, logout)
- Create, read, update, delete tasks
- Mark tasks as complete
- Assign priority levels (low, medium, high)
- Filter tasks by status and priority
- Dark mode support
- Clean, modern UI with Tailwind CSS

Bolt.new will create the entire application structure. This takes 30-60 seconds for complex apps.

What Gets Generated

Bolt.new creates:

/app
  /components
    TaskCard.tsx
    TaskForm.tsx
    Navbar.tsx
  /lib
    db.ts (database connection)
  /routes
    index.tsx
    login.tsx
    register.tsx
    dashboard.tsx
  /styles
    globals.css

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Understanding the Interface

Preview Panel

The right side shows a live preview of your app. You can:

• Interact with the running application
• See changes in real-time
• Test functionality

File Tree

The left panel shows your project structure. You can:

• View all generated files
• Edit files directly
• Add new files

Chat Interface

The bottom panel is where you communicate with the AI:

• Make changes to existing code
• Add new features
• Fix bugs
• Ask questions

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Iterating on Your App

Adding Features

Once your base app is running, add features with targeted prompts:

Add a new feature:

Add a due date field to tasks with a date picker

Modify existing:

Change the task priority to use color-coded badges instead of dropdown

Fix issues:

The login form isn't validating email format. Add email validation and show error messages.

Running Your App

Click “Preview” to run your app in a sandboxed environment. This lets you:

• Test all functionality
• Verify the UI looks correct
• Check that forms work
• Test authentication flows

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Database Capabilities

SQLite (Default)

Bolt.new uses SQLite by default, which is perfect for:

• Prototyping
• Small to medium apps
• Development and testing

Schema Definition

You can define your schema in the prompt:

Create a blog with:
- Users (id, name, email, password_hash)
- Posts (id, title, content, author_id, created_at)
- Comments (id, content, post_id, user_id)

Adding Database Fields

Add a published_at field to posts that defaults to null

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Authentication

Bolt.new can generate complete authentication:

What’s Included

• User registration with email/password
• Login/logout functionality
• Protected routes
• Session management
• Password hashing (bcrypt)

Example Prompt

Add authentication with:
- JWT-based sessions
- Password reset via email
- Remember me functionality
- Login with Google OAuth

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Deployment

One-Click Deploy

Once your app is ready:

1. Click “Deploy”
2. Choose your hosting platform (Vercel, Netlify, etc.)
3. Connect your GitHub
4. Deploy in minutes

Export Options

If you prefer to deploy yourself:

1. Click “Export”
2. Download as ZIP
3. Push to your own repository
4. Deploy using your preferred method

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Best Practices

1. Start with a Clear Scope

Don’t try to build Facebook in one prompt. Start with MVP:

Build a simple CRUD app for managing a book collection with:
- Add new books (title, author, genre)
- View all books
- Edit book details
- Delete books
- Search by title or author

Then expand:

Add user authentication so each user has their own book collection

2. Be Specific About Tech Stack

Build using Next.js 14, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Prisma ORM, and SQLite

3. Test Frequently

Click “Preview” after each significant change to ensure everything works.

4. Review Generated Code

While Bolt.new generates good code, always:

• Check for security issues
• Verify business logic
• Ensure proper error handling

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Common Use Cases

1. MVPs and Prototypes

• Validate ideas quickly
• Test market fit before engineering investment
• Create demos for investors

2. Internal Tools

• Dashboards for business metrics
• Admin panels
• Data management tools

3. Learning Projects

• Build full-stack apps to learn new frameworks
• Experiment with different architectures
• Practice deployment

4. Quick Side Projects

• Personal blogs
• Portfolio sites
• Simple SaaS ideas

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Limitations

Strengths

• Rapid prototyping
• Full-stack apps in minutes
• Good code quality
• Easy deployment

Weaknesses

• Complex business logic may need manual refinement
• Large apps can hit context limits
• Custom integrations require additional work
• Some features may need backend expertise

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Pro Tips

Use Reference Code

If you have a specific pattern in mind:

Follow this pattern for API routes:
export async function GET(request: Request) {
  const data = await db.query('SELECT * FROM users');
  return Response.json(data);
}

Chain Commands

For complex changes, break them into steps:

1. First: “Add user profiles with name and avatar”
2. Then: “Add profile picture upload”
3. Finally: “Add profile editing”

Save Your Prompts

Keep a library of effective prompts that work well for your use cases.

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Next Steps

Try building these projects:

1. Day 1: A weather app that fetches data from an API
2. Day 2: A real-time chat application with WebSockets
3. Day 3: An e-commerce store with cart and checkout

Remember: Bolt.new is a powerful accelerator, but understanding the fundamentals of full-stack development will help you get the most out of it.