How I Built a Full Website in Two Weeks With Cursor, As a Total Non‑Coder

I run a one‑person business.

If you know that life, you know the feeling: you’re the product manager, designer, copywriter, support team—and somehow also the reluctant CTO.

For a long time, my default for anything technical was simple: pay someone else and hope for the best.

I once spent $3k on an agency to build “just a website.” It dragged on for over six months. Six. Months.

If you’ve ever worked with a dev shop, this probably sounds familiar:

• They’re juggling 20 projects at once
• You’re never their top priority
• Every small tweak needs a ticket, a call, or “we’ll pick it up next sprint”
• By the time something ships, your idea has already evolved three times

I’m unapologetically picky about details and work hard not to be “that demanding client”, but in most projects the agencies still moved too slowly for what I needed. Nobody was happy.

I wanted to think of a change, implement it, test it, and iterate in the same day—sometimes in the same hour. Depending on an external team for every tiny change felt like the opposite of freedom.

The catch? I couldn’t write a single line of code. I literally didn’t know what console.log meant.

Yet in the last year I’ve built:

• Two relatively complex web applications
• Each in about two weeks
• Plus what you’re seeing now: CTW, end‑to‑end

The only way that happened was because of one tool: Cursor.

This isn’t sponsored. This is just me sharing the one dev tool that completely changed how I ship ideas.

So What Is Cursor?

On paper, it’s a code editor with AI built in.

But for a non‑coder like me, it felt like hiring a senior full‑stack engineer who:

• Sits “next to me” 24/7
• Understands when I ramble about vague ideas
• Writes the actual code
• Explains what it’s doing in plain language (yes, not just English)
• Never gets annoyed when I change my mind for the 10th time

If you’re technical, you’d say Cursor is an AI pair programmer that understands your codebase and helps you refactor, debug, and add features.

If you’re where I was a year ago, the important part is this:

Cursor takes the “I have no idea how to code” panic and turns it into “I can probably get this working this afternoon.”

That mindset shift is huge.

From Zero to MVP: My First Two Weeks With Cursor

The first site I built using Cursor wasn’t just a pretty landing page. It was a complete web application with:

• Separate frontend and backend talking through custom APIs
• Non‑trivial logic running on the server
• A real database storing user data and reference records
• Error handling to keep things stable even on weird edge cases

And I got a working MVP in about two weeks.

For someone starting from “I can’t write a single line of code,” that was… unreal.

Here’s roughly what my solo‑founder workflow with Cursor looks like.

1. I Describe Features in Plain Language

I don’t start with code; I start with intent. For example:

“I need a landing page with a dark‑mode aesthetic. Keep large empty spaces on both sides for a minimalist feel, and center the core content with a prominent sign‑up call‑to‑action.”

That’s the level of detail I’d give a human developer—and it’s enough for Cursor.

2. Cursor Builds the Skeleton

As an AI code editor for non‑programmers, Cursor will:

• Suggest a folder structure
• Create React components (or whatever stack I’m using)
• Hook them up to a basic API
• Explain how the pieces fit together in normal English

I didn’t understand everything at first, but I understood enough to keep going.

Honestly, I’ll never forget the first time I saw it. It was wild.

I watched, eyes wide, as code raced across the screen based solely on my description. That was the moment I realized, “Wait… maybe I can actually build things.”

3. I Iterate Instantly Instead of Waiting on an Agency

Instead of emailing an agency and waiting days, I just tell Cursor:

“This layout feels too crowded. Make it cleaner, add more white space, and put these stats into cards.”

Or:

“I don’t like this headline. Give me 5 alternative versions with a more serious tone.”

Cursor updates the code, I hit save, refresh the page, and it’s there—seconds, not weeks.

4. I Debug Through Conversation, Not Panic

When something breaks, I don’t open 20 Stack Overflow tabs. I ask:

“This error happens when I click X. Here’s the error message: [paste]. Explain what’s wrong and fix it.”

Cursor diagnoses the issue, suggests changes, and gives a short explanation that actually makes sense.

Is the code perfect? No. But it’s:

• Shippable
• Functional
• Easy to iterate on

And the key part: I built it myself, on my own schedule, with no one to wait on.

For a one‑person company, that level of autonomy is addictive.

Cursor vs. ChatGPT for Coding

People often ask: “Why not just use ChatGPT to write the code?”

I use ChatGPT a lot—for brainstorming, content, strategy. But for actual development work, Cursor vs ChatGPT isn’t close.

• ChatGPT lives in a chat window. It works in isolated conversations and can’t “see” your whole project unless you keep pasting code in chunks.
• Cursor lives inside your repo. I can select a bunch of files and say:

  “Look at all the authentication‑related files. I want to add email‑based 2FA. Propose an implementation and update only what’s necessary.”

Cursor understands the existing imports, architecture, and style. It feels less like “asking an AI model a favor” and more like pair programming inside a real IDE.

For:

• Indie hackers and solo founders
• Non‑technical founders
• Tiny teams without a full dev department

…having that AI teammate inside the editor is a completely different experience from a generic chatbot.

The Efficiency Gain Is Real

I usually roll my eyes at “10x developer tools.” But with Cursor, that “10x faster” feeling is just a rough, honest comparison: 6 months of waiting VS 2 weeks of building.

And the gap doesn’t stop at v1. Think about all the tiny changes over a year:

• Tweaking copy after a user interview
• Adding a field to a signup form
• Testing a new pricing layout
• Updating onboarding
• Fixing the small bug a customer emails you about at 11 p.m.

With an agency, that’s tickets, emails, estimates, delays.

With Cursor, I open the project, describe the change, let it adjust the code, test, and deploy.

Same day. Often same hour.

For a bootstrapped SaaS or one‑person startup, that compounding speed is an unfair advantage.

This is probably the most worthwhile $20 subscription I pay each month, with zero hesitation.

“I’m Not Technical” Isn’t a Wall Anymore

For years I called myself “non‑technical” and used that as the reason I had to outsource everything. Cursor quietly exposed how limiting that story had become.

“Not technical” had turned into a comfortable excuse for:

• Not understanding the system that runs my business
• Handing control to people whose priorities will never fully match mine
• Moving slower than my ideas

Cursor didn’t turn me into a traditional software engineer.

What it did was more practical: it lowered the bar to “technical enough to build and ship.”

I still don’t know every computer science concept. But now I can:

• Describe what I want precisely
• Collaborate with an AI that knows how to implement it
• Read just enough of the explanations to not be lost
• Own the product end‑to‑end—features, fixes, and experiments

Once you experience, firsthand, “I can actually build and change my own product”, it’s very hard to go back to the old dependency model.

Will I Ever Hire a Dev Shop Again?

Probably—just for different reasons.

I’d still bring in external developers or an agency when:

• I hit scaling or performance issues I don’t understand
• I need deep expertise (security, data pipelines, etc.)
• My time is better spent elsewhere for a while

But the dynamic has changed completely because of Cursor:

• I can prototype V1 myself
• I can set much clearer requirements
• I can read their code and ask informed questions
• I retain ownership and control if I need to pivot or fix something fast

I’m no longer the helpless client feeding vague wishes into a black box. I’m leading the project myself—and Cursor gives me just enough technical leverage to back that up.

What Cursor Won’t Do For You (Hard‑Won Lessons)

A few lessons I learned the hard way:

• Don’t ask it to build the whole app in one go. Treat it like a very fast senior dev. Break work into clear, small tasks: a component, an API route, a specific feature. Big vague prompts = big messy code.

• Switch models when you’re stuck. Different models inside Cursor have different strengths. If one keeps giving weak solutions, I switch—often the next one nails it.

• Keep chats short and scoped. Start a fresh Cursor chat for a new task. Be explicit:
  “Only refactor this file for readability. Don’t change functionality.”

• Keep your own judgment in the loop. Cursor will happily write confident nonsense. Use it to propose options, then choose yourself. If something feels off, it probably is—don’t ship it just because “the AI wrote it.”

• Refactor as you go, not at the very end. Every few commits, pause and have Cursor help you clean up: extract components, rename things, simplify functions. Small, continuous refactors keep the project from turning into an unreadable blob.

• Keep good patterns somewhere you can reuse them. When Cursor generates something you like—a clean API pattern, a nice layout, a helpful test— copy it into a little “patterns” file in your repo or notes. Reuse those patterns in future prompts so your codebase stays more consistent.

• Don’t fight the tool; design around it. Cursor is insanely good at some things and clumsy at others. Lean into what it’s good at (repetitive components, wiring boring glue code, refactors) and don’t force it to handle the parts where your own taste and judgment matter most.

• Remember: you’re still the one shipping. Cursor can write code, but it can’t own the product. You’re the one responsible for what goes live, for the UX, for the edges you say “no” to. Use it to go faster—but don’t hand it the steering wheel.

Used well, Cursor is a real force multiplier. Used lazily, it just helps you make bigger messes, faster.

For Every One‑Person Company Founder

This isn’t a “fire all your developers and let AI run everything” story.

It’s an invitation: stop underestimating how much you can build yourself now with the right tools.

If you:

• Run a solo or bootstrapped business
• Have more product ideas than engineering resources
• Are tired of waiting on other people’s timelines
• Secretly crave more control over your own product

Try this:

• Install Cursor
• Pick one small, real feature or side project you actually care about
• Write a short, clear spec—as if briefing your dream senior engineer
• Use Cursor to scaffold the code and connect the pieces
• Iterate conversationally until it feels right
• Ship it to a few real users and see what happens

If you want to see the exact stack I use around Cursor (hosting, backups, and a few guardrails), I break it down on my tools page .

You don’t need to “become a developer” in the traditional sense.

But with a tool like Cursor, you can become dangerously capable very quickly.

For me, Cursor didn’t just make me faster. It changed the balance between my ideas and my ability to execute them. As someone who hates depending on other people’s schedules, that’s probably the best upgrade I’ve made.

If you’re still telling yourself, “I’m not technical, so I have to outsource,” consider this your nudge to try a different path.

You might be surprised how much of your product you can now build with your own two hands.

Cursor just happened to be the pair of hands I borrowed until mine caught up.

Next Steps

If you’re curious enough to try it, here’s a low‑stress way to experiment:

• Install Cursor
• Pick one small, real feature or side project
• Write a one‑page brief in a simple .md or .txt file
• Ask Cursor to set up a minimal project and scaffold the basics for you

Then give yourself one weekend to see how far you can get.