Build your own Splitwise with Claude Code
An app to split shared expenses: groups for trips and housemates, add expenses split equally or by amounts, running balances and more.
The Claude Code prompt
Build my own take on Splitwise: an app to split shared expenses. Give it an original name, logo, colours and copy, and do not use Splitwise's name, branding or assets. Version one should have: - Groups for trips and housemates - Add expenses split equally or by amounts - Running balances - Simplify debts - Settle up records The hard part: Debt simplification. It is a small graph algorithm, so test it with real examples. 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: groups for trips and housemates, 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
- Groups for trips and housemates
- Add expenses split equally or by amounts
- Running balances
- Simplify debts
- Settle up records
The hard part
Debt simplification. It is a small graph algorithm, so test it with real examples.
Make it yours: a niche Splitwise ignores, an original name and brand, and one feature it does badly done well.
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