In this video, the creator demonstrates how to build an AI-powered SaaS application from scratch using Claude Code, an AI coding assistant powered by Anthropic’s latest model, Opus 4.5. Starting with an empty project folder, the video walks through setting up the development environment using Cloud Code in the terminal, emphasizing the importance of carefully crafting prompts to guide the AI in building the project architecture, documentation, and initial codebase. The creator highlights the significance of defining the project scope, tech stack, and deployment strategy upfront to avoid feature bloat and deployment issues later on.
The development process is broken down into multiple prompts to the AI, each focusing on a specific part of the application. First, the project structure and README documentation are generated. Then, the frontend is built using Next.js with Tailwind CSS, followed by setting up the backend API routes connected to a PostgreSQL database via Prisma ORM. The video stresses the importance of using popular, well-supported technologies to maximize AI assistance and maintainability. The creator also demonstrates how to manage AI agent permissions and automate command approvals to streamline the coding workflow.
Once the core application is functional, the frontend design is enhanced using Gemini 3 Pro, another AI model specialized in UI improvements. The video shows how to debug and fix issues such as database connectivity and UI bugs by leveraging AI tools for explanations and troubleshooting. The creator encourages viewers to use AI not only to build code but also to upskill themselves by understanding the technologies involved, such as Prisma and Git, which are essential for professional software development and deployment.
The second half of the video focuses on deploying the AI SaaS application in a cost-effective and reliable way by self-hosting on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) using Hostinger and DocPloy, an open-source alternative to popular cloud platforms like Vercel and Heroku. The creator explains the benefits of self-hosting, including predictable costs, full control over the environment, and the ability to run services 24/7 without serverless limitations. The video provides a step-by-step guide to setting up a Hostinger VPS, installing DocPloy, connecting the GitHub repository, and deploying the full stack application with database services.
Finally, the video demonstrates how to troubleshoot deployment issues using AI assistance, including running database migrations and configuring environment variables. The creator emphasizes that while building an MVP is easier than ever with AI, the real challenge and value lie in deploying, maintaining, and scaling the application. By combining AI coding agents, affordable VPS hosting, and deployment management tools, anyone can build, deploy, and self-host a professional AI SaaS product, gaining full ownership and control while minimizing costs. The video concludes with encouragement to viewers to start building and deploying their own projects using the demonstrated tools and techniques.