Build your own Basecamp with Claude Code
A simple project management tool: projects with to-dos, message board, schedule and more.
The Claude Code prompt
Build my own take on Basecamp: a simple project management tool. Give it an original name, logo, colours and copy, and do not use Basecamp's name, branding or assets. Version one should have: - Projects with to-dos - Message board - Schedule - Docs and files - Daily check-in questions The hard part: Very little. Keep it calm and simple. How to build it: 1. Read this folder first. If it is empty, set up Next.js (App Router, TypeScript, Tailwind) with Postgres through Prisma or Supabase, and Supabase Auth or Auth.js for sign-in. Write a short PLAN.md with the data model, screens, third-party services and what you are leaving out of version one. 2. Build the core loop end to end before anything else: projects with to-dos, working with real data saved to the database. 3. Add the rest of the features one at a time, and seed realistic demo data so every screen looks alive. 4. Keep API keys in environment variables, and put any paid service behind a small interface with a local stub, so the app runs on a fresh machine without accounts. 5. Run it, click through every screen on desktop and mobile widths, fix what breaks, and finish with a summary of what works, what is stubbed and how to deploy it.
Paste it into Claude Code in an empty folder. It plans first, so read PLAN.md and steer before it starts building.
Version one
- Projects with to-dos
- Message board
- Schedule
- Docs and files
- Daily check-in questions
The hard part
Very little. Keep it calm and simple.
Make it yours: a niche Basecamp ignores, an original name and brand, and one feature it does badly done well.
More to build
- Your own Notion
An all-in-one docs and wiki workspace: nested pages in a sidebar, block editor with headings, lists, to-dos and code, slash command menu and more.
- Your own Trello
A kanban board for projects: boards with lists and cards, drag and drop between lists, labels, due dates and checklists and more.
- Your own Google Calendar
A calendar app: day, week and month views, create events by dragging, recurring events and more.
- Your own Todoist
A to-do list app: quick add with natural language dates, projects and sections, priorities and labels and more.
- Your own Airtable
A spreadsheet-database hybrid: tables with typed fields, grid, kanban and calendar views, linked records between tables and more.
- Your own Obsidian
A markdown notes app with backlinks: markdown notes in folders, [[Wiki links]] and backlinks, graph view of linked notes and more.