1. Choose one task, not an entire business.
Start with something a person should be able to do. “A visitor can browse my work and contact me” is a testable first version. So is “I can add an item to my private inventory and find it again tomorrow.”
Write down who uses it, what they enter and what should happen next. Separate the parts that must work now from the parts that can wait. This gives you a way to judge the result beyond whether the page looks finished.
I want to build [project] for [person]. The first task is [action]. Ask me for missing facts, propose the smallest useful version, and tell me how I can test it. Do not invent prices, testimonials or customer data.
2. Give the project a working environment.
A coding project needs somewhere to keep files, execute code and eventually serve the result. You can configure those pieces yourself, or use a prepared environment. OSP brings AI, a private Linux workspace and hosting into a browser interface.
Try the free preview first if you want to explore a draft. For the hosted workspace, choose a current plan and review the package before signing up and authorizing payment. The paid environment is separate from the free preview. Read the workspace terms for its limits.
The browser works on a phone or computer. You do not need to install a local development environment before you begin.
3. Ask for a change, then inspect it.
Use the AI to make one change at a time. Ask what files were changed, what the change does and what still needs your input. In the workspace, you can open files and view command output yourself.
A useful follow-up is: “Show me where this page gets its data. Explain what happens when the form is submitted.” That connects what you see in the browser to the code behind it and helps you learn while making progress.
Avoid entering real customer records during your first experiment. Use clearly fictional sample data until you have checked storage, permissions and who can see each screen.
4. Test the behavior, not just the screenshot.
- Normal use: Complete the main task from beginning to end.
- Empty input: Try an empty form or a missing required field. The app should explain what needs fixing.
- Persistence: If a record should be saved, refresh and reopen the app. Confirm it is still there.
- Phone layout: Open the result on your phone. Check readable text, usable buttons and the full task.
- Private screens: Check access from a signed-out browser. A hidden link alone does not protect private data.
- External services: Verify any email, payment or other connection in its appropriate test mode before relying on it.
If something fails, report the expected result, actual result and steps that caused it. Ask the AI to fix that case and then repeat the check. A model saying “done” is not the same as a working application.
5. Publish when the first task works.
Review your business facts, contact details and any public claims. Check that test records, secrets and private screens are not exposed. In OSP, publishing is an explicit action after review; asking for a draft does not automatically make it public.
Use the workspace’s publishing controls and verify the live address after publication. A custom domain needs its own connection and DNS checks. Domain registration and third-party services can have separate charges.
Open the published address from another browser and complete the same task you tested. Keep the working files and know what you would need to restore if a later change breaks something. Do not assume every file export also includes a database or complete hosting configuration.
6. Keep the project small enough to improve.
The first publish is a starting point. Watch someone use the page, note where they get stuck and make the next change around that observation. Keep a short record of what you changed and how you checked it.
Your OSP workspace keeps the files and application data so you can return and keep building. Hosting and bounded monthly AI usage are bundled. Check the current allowance before a long session; there are no automatic overage charges.
For a second business, use a separate workspace to keep its project separate. For a growing project, compare the available plans before increasing capacity. The point is to make something useful, learn from using it and keep the ability to change it.