Tutorials

How to Build a SaaS Product with Cursor AI in a Weekend

November 15, 2024 4 min read Updated: 2026-02-28

Cursor AI has changed how fast you can build software. This tutorial shows how to go from idea to deployed SaaS in a weekend.

What We’re Building

A simple but complete SaaS: a URL shortener with analytics. It includes:

  • User authentication
  • URL creation and management
  • Click tracking and analytics
  • Stripe billing integration

Prerequisites

  • Cursor IDE installed
  • Node.js 18+
  • A Vercel account (free)
  • A Stripe account (free test mode)

Part 1: Project Setup (Hour 1)

Create Project Structure

Open Cursor and use Composer (Cmd/Ctrl + I):

Create a Next.js 14 project with:
- App Router
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- Prisma with PostgreSQL
- NextAuth.js for authentication
- shadcn/ui components

Set up the project structure with auth, dashboard, and API routes.

Cursor will generate the entire project scaffolding.

Environment Configuration

Ask Cursor:

Set up environment variables for:
- DATABASE_URL for PostgreSQL
- NEXTAUTH_SECRET and NEXTAUTH_URL
- STRIPE_SECRET_KEY and STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET
- Add a .env.example file

Part 2: Authentication (Hour 2-3)

Set Up Auth

In Composer:

Implement NextAuth.js with:
- Email magic link login
- Google OAuth
- Session handling
- Protected routes middleware

Create login and signup pages using shadcn/ui components.

Test Auth Flow

Run the dev server and verify:

  • Magic link emails send
  • OAuth redirects work
  • Sessions persist

Part 3: Core Features (Hours 4-8)

Database Schema

Ask Cursor:

Create Prisma schema for:
- User model (linked to NextAuth)
- Link model (shortCode, originalUrl, userId, createdAt)
- Click model (linkId, timestamp, referrer, country, device)

Run migration after generating.

URL Shortening API

Create API routes for:
- POST /api/links - Create shortened URL
- GET /api/links - List user's links
- DELETE /api/links/[id] - Delete a link
- GET /[shortCode] - Redirect and track click

Include proper error handling and validation.

Dashboard UI

Build a dashboard page with:
- Form to create new short links
- Table of user's links with click counts
- Copy-to-clipboard functionality
- Delete link button with confirmation

Use shadcn/ui components throughout.

Part 4: Analytics (Hours 9-12)

Click Tracking

Enhance the redirect route to track:
- Timestamp
- Referrer URL
- Country (from IP using free geo API)
- Device type (from user agent)

Store in Click model.

Analytics Dashboard

Create an analytics page for each link showing:
- Total clicks
- Clicks over time chart
- Top referrers
- Geographic distribution
- Device breakdown

Use Recharts for visualizations.

Part 5: Billing (Hours 13-16)

Stripe Integration

Implement Stripe subscription:
- Free tier: 10 links, basic analytics
- Pro tier ($9/mo): Unlimited links, full analytics
- Checkout session creation
- Webhook handling for subscription events
- Billing portal for management

Enforce Limits

Add middleware to check subscription status.
Free users limited to 10 links.
Show upgrade prompts when limits reached.

Part 6: Polish and Deploy (Hours 17-20)

Landing Page

Create a marketing landing page with:
- Hero section explaining the product
- Feature highlights
- Pricing comparison table
- FAQ section
- Call-to-action buttons

Deploy to Vercel

  1. Push to GitHub
  2. Connect to Vercel
  3. Add environment variables
  4. Deploy

Final Testing

  • Full user flow from signup to creating links
  • Billing flow in Stripe test mode
  • Analytics accuracy

Tips for Cursor-Assisted Development

Be Specific in Prompts

Bad: “Add analytics” Good: “Add click tracking that records timestamp, referrer, and country for each link redirect”

Use Composer for Multi-File Changes

Composer understands your entire codebase and can modify multiple files coherently.

Iterate Through Chat

Use the chat panel for quick questions, debugging, and small changes.

Review Generated Code

AI-generated code needs review. Check for:

  • Security issues
  • Performance problems
  • Edge cases

What You’ve Built

In roughly 20 hours of active development, you have:

  • Full authentication system
  • Core product functionality
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Subscription billing
  • Deployed production site

Next Steps

  • Add custom domains
  • Implement link expiration
  • Build API for integrations
  • Add team features

This is the power of AI-assisted development: building in days what previously took weeks.

Related Articles