Build-Fast, Host-Free: Full-Stack Sites on Vercel in One Sitting

0  Prereqs

• ChatGPT (GPT-4o) for research, outline, image prompts
• Cursor (or Claude Code) as your AI IDE
• GitHub account
• Vercel Hobby plan
• Optional: Supabase for data

1  Commission a Deep Research Paper

Prompt ChatGPT:

“Write a deep research paper on {brand}—history, market size, competitive landscape, SEO gaps, visual trends, tone-of-voice guidance. Minimum 1 500 words, include references.”

This long-form document anchors every content decision, replaces guesswork, and feeds all later prompts.

2  Extract UX Blueprint & Image Prompts

Follow-up in the same thread:

1. “Using that paper, outline a landing page (sections, copy).”
2. “For each visual in that outline, craft a DALL-E prompt (1024 × 1024, transparent background). Add the prompt as an alt tag for the image.
3. Create a mockup image of the landing page. You can generate a few of them in different styles.

Your transcript now contains copy, structure, and a machine-readable list of image prompts.

3  Generate Code and Assets with Cursor / Claude Code

Paste the transcript into Cursor (or Claude Code), upload chosen mockup and ask:

Create a Next.js 14 + Tailwind project.

• Build pages/components per outline.

• Write /scripts/gen_images.py that reads prompts, calls openai.images.generate, downloads to /public/img.

• generate images, using it script, as needed

Cursor executes the Python file locally, fetching real images—no placeholders.

Image cost (DALL-E 3 std): ≈ $0.04 per 1024 × 1024 render. (GPT-image-): ≈ $0.12 per render

4  Push to GitHub

git init && git add . && git commit -m "init"

git remote add origin git@github.com:{user}/{repo}.git

git push -u origin main

5  One-Click Deploy on Vercel

Import the repo. The Hobby plan includes 100 GB transfer, 100 GB-h serverless runtime, edge caching, and image optimization—free for small projects. 

During build, postinstall fires, the Python script hits the OpenAI Images API, and every asset lands in /public/img.

6  Ultra-Rapid Alternative: v0.dev

Vercel v0.dev turns a one-line prompt (“SaaS hero, pricing, FAQ”) into JSX + Tailwind + shadcn/ui in seconds. Great for static pages, but it skips the deep research paper, costs $20/month and not as advanced as Claude or OpenAI; use when you need UI code only. 

7  Add a Back-End (if needed)

• Supabase Free – 500 MB Postgres, 1 GB storage, unlimited API requests.  
• Vercel KV – edge-cached key/value for lighter data.
• PlanetScale – 5 GB serverless MySQL.
• Another option is to use notion database and api

8  Cost & Risk Cheat-Sheet