Getting Started with Vibecoding: Your First AI-Built Web App
A practical step-by-step guide to building your first web app with AI coding assistants. Covers project selection, prompting, iteration, and deployment.
9 min read | April 9, 2026
RatataLabs articles
Browser-first apps, Plokk, and AI-assisted development.
The RatataLabs blog collects original guides, case studies, and product notes from the studio. Topics include Plokk strategy, privacy-first browser apps, AI-assisted development workflows, product design, and lessons from building small tools that need to be useful on the first visit.
16
published articles
published articles
5
core topic areas
core topic areas
2026
current build notes
current build notes
How I Build Apps in 2026: Google AI Studio, GitHub, and Codex
A step-by-step walkthrough of my current RatataLabs workflow — prototyping in Google AI Studio, managing code on GitHub, and building production apps with Codex.
9 min read | April 8, 2026
SimplBiz: AI Receipt Scanning on Google Drive
Case study of SimplBiz: an AI expense tracker for freelancers using Gemini Vision for receipt OCR and Google Drive for privacy-first storage.
6 min read | March 26, 2026
Why Curated App Directories Still Matter in the Age of AI Search
Curated directories like RatataLabs solve the app discovery problem that search engines and AI assistants cannot: evaluating quality, trust, and real-world utility.
5 min read | March 26, 2026
How to Build an AI-Powered Web App: A Practical Architecture Guide
A hands-on guide to integrating AI into web apps. Covers client vs server AI, API selection, key management, prompt design, error handling, and cost control.
11 min read | March 25, 2026
The Vibecoding Tech Stack: Best Tools and Frameworks in 2026
A comprehensive guide to the best AI coding assistants, frontend frameworks, hosting platforms, and backend services for vibecoding in 2026.
10 min read | March 20, 2026
How Plokk Was Built: Concept to Microsoft Store in 6 Weeks
Case study of building Plokk, a block puzzle game with leaderboards, daily challenges, and AI hints, shipped to the Microsoft Store in 6 weeks using vibecoding.
6 min read | March 20, 2026
The State of AI-Powered Web Apps in 2026
An overview of AI integration in web apps in 2026: local models, multimodal APIs, vibecoding, agent frameworks, and what developers should prepare for next.
6 min read | March 20, 2026
Vibecoding vs. Traditional Development: When to Use Each
A practical comparison of vibecoding and traditional development. Learn which approach fits your project based on speed, control, cost, and team structure.
8 min read | March 15, 2026
Building HevyDuty AI: AI Workout Builder Case Study
Case study of building HevyDuty AI: from vibecoded prototype to production workout builder with Gemini AI, Hevy integration, and Capacitor Android app.
6 min read | March 15, 2026
Building Progressive Web Apps That Feel Native
Practical techniques for building PWAs that feel native: service workers, app manifests, touch interactions, performance budgets, and install prompts.
6 min read | March 14, 2026
Privacy-First AI: Building Apps That Process Data Locally
How to build AI-powered web apps that keep user data local: browser-based processing, BYOK API keys, client-side PDF parsing, and Google Drive storage.
5 min read | March 10, 2026
Designing Dark-Mode-First Web Applications
A practical guide to designing dark-mode-first web apps: color systems, typography, glass morphism, glow effects, and accessibility pitfalls to avoid.
5 min read | March 8, 2026
What is Vibecoding? The Complete Guide to AI-Assisted App Development
Learn what vibecoding is, how it differs from traditional development and no-code, and how AI tools like Claude Code and Cursor are changing how apps get built.
10 min read | March 5, 2026
Prompt Engineering for Web Applications
Practical prompt engineering techniques for production web apps: structured JSON output, temperature tuning, chain-of-thought reasoning, and edge case handling.
6 min read | March 4, 2026
EdImport: Automating Slovenian Tax Filing for Foreign Investors
How EdImport turns broker PDF statements into FURS-compliant tax XML files entirely in the browser, saving Slovenian investors hours of manual work.
5 min read | March 4, 2026