# the starter kit

> Everything you need to build your first thing without writing code.
> Made by jayhern.com. If you make something with it, send it. I want to see what you build.

You do not need to understand any of this before you begin. Read the first two sections, do the thing, and come back when you get stuck. That is the whole method.

---

## what this is

A single page that gets you from "I have never built anything" to "I have a workspace and I know what to type." No coding background assumed. If you can write a clear email, you have the only skill that matters.

The idea behind every project on jayhern.com is the same loop:

1. You describe what you want, in plain words.
2. The AI builds it.
3. You look at the result and say what is right, what is wrong, what is ugly.
4. Repeat until it works.

That is it. You never read code you do not understand. You stay in your own vocabulary the whole time.

---

## the four tools

You do not need all four on day one. Start with Obsidian and one AI builder. Add the rest when you feel the need.

| tool | what it is for | where to get it | cost |
|------|----------------|-----------------|------|
| **Obsidian** | The thinking layer. Plain-text notes, drafts, and plans. Every project starts here as words before it becomes anything. | obsidian.md | free |
| **Kiro** | An AI building environment. You type what you want, watch files come together in real time, and steer in plain language. | kiro.dev | free tier |
| **Claude Code** | The terminal version of the same idea. Faster and more direct once you know what you want. | claude.com/claude-code | paid plan |
| **Cowork** | For the bigger work away from code: planning a series, outlining, drafting, researching. Runs in the background of your day. | (confirm link) | varies |

If you only do one thing today: install **Obsidian**, then open **Kiro** and ask it to build a one-page website about anything you care about.

---

## day-one folder structure

Make one folder on your computer. Name it something you will recognize, like `my-workspace`. Inside it, recreate this. You can copy these names exactly.

```
my-workspace/
├── README.md            ← what this workspace is (this file, edited to be yours)
├── ABOUT-ME.md          ← who you are and how you like to work (the AI reads this)
├── ideas/               ← one note per idea, however rough
│   └── first-idea.md
├── projects/            ← one folder per thing you are actually building
│   └── first-project/
│       └── notes.md
└── done/                ← finished things you are proud of
```

That is the whole system. Folders are free. Make more when you need them, not before.

Open the `my-workspace` folder in Obsidian (Obsidian calls a folder a "vault"). Now everything in it is searchable, linkable, and yours.

---

## the ABOUT-ME file (the most important file)

This is the one document that makes the AI feel like it already knows you. You hand it over at the start of a session so you do not have to re-explain yourself every time. Copy the template below into `ABOUT-ME.md` and fill in the blanks. Keep it short. You will improve it over time.

```markdown
# About me

**Name:** (what the AI should call you)
**What I do:** (one line)
**What I am trying to make:** (the project, or the kind of thing)

## How I like to work
- Talk to me in plain language. No jargon unless I ask.
- When something breaks, explain what happened simply before fixing it.
- Show me the result, then ask before making big changes.
- I care most about: (clarity / how it looks / speed / something else)

## Taste
- Things I think are beautiful: (sites, books, films, objects)
- Words for the feeling I want: (calm, bold, playful, cinematic, warm...)
- Things I dislike: (clutter, stock-photo energy, anything that feels generic)

## My projects
- (project name): (one line on what it is)
```

That is the document the four tools talk through. It is the difference between an AI that guesses and one that builds the thing you actually pictured.

---

## your first session, start to finish

A real session, the way every project on this site was made.

**1. Start in Obsidian.** Open `ideas/first-idea.md`. Write what you are trying to make. The problem. Who it is for. The rough feeling. A sketch in words is plenty. Sometimes a single sentence is enough.

**2. Open your AI builder** (Kiro or Claude Code). Paste in your `ABOUT-ME.md` and your idea note so it has the context.

**3. Describe the first piece.** Not the whole thing. The first piece. "Make me a single web page with a dark background, a big title that says ___, and one paragraph under it." Let it build.

**4. Look at it. React.** If it works, ask for the next thing. If it is wrong, say what is wrong. If it is ugly, say so. You are allowed to be picky. Being picky in plain words is the entire skill.

**5. When you get stuck, ask the AI to explain** what is happening, in plain language. If something breaks, describe what broke. You never have to switch into code-speak.

**6. Keep going until it works.** Then move it to `done/` and send it to someone.

Some builds take an afternoon. Some take a weekend. Some take a season. What matters is being able to describe what you want clearly enough that something else can make it.

---

## ten prompts to keep nearby

Copy these. Change the words in brackets. They cover most of what a first build needs.

1. "Build me a single web page. Dark background, one big title that says [text], one short paragraph under it. Keep it simple and elegant."
2. "Make the title bigger and add a gentle fade-in when the page loads."
3. "I do not like [this part]. Here is what I want instead: [describe it]."
4. "Explain what this part does, in plain language, like I have never seen code."
5. "Something looks broken. [Describe what you see]. What happened and how do we fix it?"
6. "Add a section below that for [purpose]. Match the style of the rest of the page."
7. "Make it look good on a phone too."
8. "Give me three different directions for how this could look, and describe each one before you build it."
9. "This is close. Make it feel more [calm / bold / cinematic / warm]."
10. "How do I put this online so I can send someone a link?"

---

## when you get stuck

- **You cannot picture the result.** Go back to Obsidian and write more about the feeling, not the feature. Description is the work.
- **The AI did something weird.** Tell it exactly what you see and what you expected. It is not offended.
- **It looks generic.** Name something you find beautiful and ask it to move in that direction. Specific taste beats vague "make it nicer."
- **You are overwhelmed.** Build one smaller piece. The smallest one. Then the next.

---

## one rule

You are not learning to code. You are learning to describe what you want clearly enough that something else can make it. That skill grows every time you use it.

Start when you are ready.

— jayhern.com · [say hi](mailto:jhern1986@gmail.com)