Stage 10 of 10 · 5 lessons · ~4 weeks

A real project shipped with an agent

Put it all together: scope a small real project, write a spec, build it in vertical slices with your tool, gate every pull request on CI, disclose AI use honestly and publish a write-up of your decisions.

Start: Scoping a project you can finish

Lessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order

Do this

Scope a project with a real user, three to five features and a written out-of-scope list.
Write SPEC.md with a done-when check for every feature.
Set up CI with tests, type checks and scanners before the second slice.
Ship each slice as its own small pull request with a clear description.
Deploy early and watch a real user try it.
Disclose AI use in the README and publish a write-up.

Start with· follow one of these

CourseFree
Claude Code in Action
Anthropic · Intermediate
Free course lessons on longer sessions, GitHub Actions and verifying work you did not watch
GuideFree
How to Write a Git Commit Message
Chris Beams · Beginner
Seven rules for commit messages that make your project history readable

Keep handy

GitHub Actions Documentation
Set up the CI workflow that checks every pull request
Conventional Commits
A simple commit message convention that keeps a changelog easy to write

Also worth your time

Continuous integration (opens in a new tab)Read
What CI is and how to run tests on every pull request with GitHub Actions
The Missing README: A Guide for the New Software EngineerGo deeperPaid
How professional teams ship, review and operate software, beyond a solo project

Before moving on: A small real project deployed and used by at least one real person, built in reviewed slices with CI on every pull request, with honest AI disclosure in the README and a published write-up of your decisions, the agent's role and the bugs you caught.

Tauseef's advice

This project is your proof that you can direct an agent without being directed by it. Keep it small, real and finished. The write-up matters as much as the code: it is where you show the judgment that no tool can fake.