Zero to Live: Building with Claude Code

Overview

Instead of using a drag-and-drop website builder, I built my entire portfolio using Claude Code as an autonomous CLI agent. The site is plain HTML, Tailwind CSS via CDN, and vanilla JavaScript — no frameworks, no build step, deployed for free on GitHub Pages.

After completing the portfolio, I realized the process itself was the most interesting part. So I documented the entire workflow as a free, interactive single-page course. It starts from “what is a terminal?” and ends with a live website — teaching readers how to use AI agents effectively through the lens of instructional design.

What the Course Covers

• Setting up GitHub, the terminal, and Claude Code from scratch
• Using a CLAUDE.md file as a “syllabus” to scaffold the AI agent
• Building an iterative feedback loop between human and AI
• Scaling from 1 page to 11 with a consistent design system
• Deploying to GitHub Pages with a custom domain

The Key Insight

The hardest part of building with AI isn’t the code — it’s learning how to give clear, structured instructions. By treating the AI agent like a student and the CLAUDE.md file like a syllabus, I was able to reduce hallucinations, enforce design constraints, and build a production-ready site significantly faster.

Take the Course