UI Scaffolding with Claude

I wanted to build a bullets-first editor with Claude Code. Start with bullets, let them grow into paragraphs like WorkFlowy used to do. But I made every complexity mistake in the book and learned that UI scaffolding can save your sanity.

Next.jsTipTapY.jsAI SDKFramer MotionTailwindClaude Code

collaborative-draft.md

■Saved

• Started with bullets-first writing approach

• Much easier to think in outline format

• AI works better with structured input

• Hit the complexity trap with spaghetti code

• Discovered UI scaffolding as the solution

Assistant

Help me expand on the development challenges

2m

I can help you expand on the development challenges. Here are some specific insights:

now

•Process matters more than perfect prompts

•Incremental development with isolated testing routes

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The Challenge

I added complexity from day one: AI SDK managing chat state, custom bullet editor extension, collaborative backend in both editor and chat. The application would crash and become such a mess that you couldn't even place a meatball on top of it anymore.

But I'd built a frontend I actually liked. So instead of starting over, I had Claude create UI scaffolding - responsive mockups of all the components. Then I rebuilt the functionality underneath while keeping the design I cared about.

The insight: with AI coding, your process matters more than perfect prompts. UI scaffolding worked because it separated design from complexity, letting me rebuild incrementally while preserving what I cared about.

I did try one shortcut by forking the AI SDK source code to bend it to my will. That did not work.

UI Scaffolding with Claude

The Challenge

Let's build something together