How-to guides
Step-by-step procedures for tasks I’ll do (or have done) more than once. Every guide is testable: I should be able to follow it from cold start to working result without needing to ask Claude anything.
Planned guides
| Guide | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy a Next.js app to Vercel | 🟩 COMPLETE | First-time deploy: from local app to live on the internet |
| Connect a custom domain | 🟩 COMPLETE | Buying a domain and pointing it at your Vercel project |
| Set up a Supabase project | 🟩 COMPLETE | New Supabase project, env vars, first table, RLS policy |
| Add authentication to a Next.js app (Supabase Auth) | 🟩 COMPLETE | Email/password and magic-link login wired up end-to-end |
| Enable Row-Level Security on a table | 🟩 COMPLETE | The exact SQL + Studio steps to lock a table down |
| Next.js app | 🟩 COMPLETE | Class-based dark mode with system-preference detection |
| Start a new Next.js project (with the playbook) | 🟩 COMPLETE | The full bootstrap procedure from npx create-next-app to first deploy |
| Debug a Vercel build failure | 🟩 COMPLETE | Reading the logs, common causes, the fix-and-redeploy loop |
| Rescue a Git branch you broke | 🟩 COMPLETE | The panic toolkit — reset, reflog, cherry-pick |
| Set up Claude Code for a new project | 🟩 COMPLETE | CLAUDE.md, .claude/settings.json, useful initial config |
| Add a new memory file | 🟩 COMPLETE | The two-step process to add to MEMORY.md without breaking it |
| Run the production build locally before pushing | 🟩 COMPLETE | The npm run build step that catches what dev mode misses |
| Sign up for ChatGPT (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | First 10 minutes; Plus decision; Australian setup |
| Sign up for Claude (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Claude.ai signup; Pro decision; how Claude differs |
| Sign up for Gemini (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Gemini access; Advanced via Google One AI Premium |
| Get an OpenAI API key | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Developer setup; billing limits; key safety |
| Get an Anthropic (Claude) API key | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Console setup; Pro vs API; rate limits |
| Get a Google AI (Gemini) API key | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI Studio key; generous free tier; Vertex AI alternative |
| Set up Cursor (AI code editor) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Install, configure AI models, first AI features |
| Sign up for Perplexity (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI search engine; Pro decision; Australian context |
| Sign up for Midjourney (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI image generation; subscription tiers; commercial rights |
| Sign up for Suno (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI music generation; free 10 songs/day; commercial considerations |
| Sign up for ElevenLabs (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI voice synthesis; cloning ethics; Australian scam context |
| Sign up for Microsoft Copilot (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Free with Microsoft account; Copilot Pro decision |
| Set up Ollama (run AI locally) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Local AI on your computer; privacy maximum; free |
| Write a system prompt | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Custom instructions for better AI results |
| Sign up for Canva (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Australian-founded design tool; free generous tier; nonprofit/teacher free |
| Sign up for GitHub Copilot (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | AI code completion; free for students/teachers |
| Sign up for Hugging Face (from Australia) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Models, datasets, Spaces; the GitHub of AI |
| Use DuckDuckGo AI (private, no account) | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Anonymous free access to multiple AI models |
| Fact-check AI output | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Verify hallucinations; verification techniques |
| Use AI for job applications | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Resume, cover letter, interview prep with AI |
| Evaluate AI tools | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Decide whether to adopt; framework and methodology |
| Sign up for Adobe Firefly | 🟩 COMPLETE 🟦 LIVING | Commercially safe AI images; IP indemnification; Creative Cloud |
Conventions for how-to entries
Every how-to follows the same structure:
- Goal — one sentence describing the end state.
- Prerequisites — what must be true before starting.
- Steps — numbered, action-oriented, copy-pasteable when applicable.
- Verification — how to confirm it worked.
- Common failures — what goes wrong and how to fix each.
- See also — related entries.
See also
- Gotchas & tips — for hard-won lessons specific to tools
- 02–15 section indexes — for the conceptual background