{"schemaVersion":"1","contentVersion":"2026-11-01.13","slug":"first-app","updated":"2026-11-01","title":"Build your first app","summary":"Describe your idea, build a first version, and refine it in Preview.","category":"Quickstarts","minutes":5,"outcome":"A first version of your application that you’ve tried and improved.","prerequisites":["A Rumata account with an active subscription. Follow [Set up Rumata](/guides/getting-started) if you have not signed in yet.","A project you can build in. Your private project normally appears in the Home project picker."],"sections":[{"id":"what-you-will-build","title":"Start with your idea","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Follow four steps: describe the intended user and main task, review the plan, test the main task, and request one improvement. Use the same process for any application."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Each step includes a short example. Treat it as an illustration, not a template or requirement. Replace its users, tasks, data, and constraints with your own. For a complete worked example, follow [Tutorial: Build a feedback board](/guides/feedback-board)."}]},{"id":"describe","title":"1. Describe your app","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Explain who it is for, what they should accomplish, and the essential features for a first version."},{"type":"steps","items":["Open [Home](https://app.rumata.dev/) and select your project below the prompt box.","Keep Plan selected. Write your request in your own words, or replace the brackets in the structure below with your requirements.","Choose Send once. Wait for the factory workspace to open and confirm your request appears in the conversation."]},{"type":"code","language":"text","text":"Build an app for [audience] to [main task].\nStart with [essential features].\nIt should [important behavior or constraints].\nPlan the first version before building it. Ask about anything unclear.\nDo not publish it yet."},{"type":"example","title":"Salon booking app","text":"“Build an app for local salon customers to book an appointment. Start with a service list, available times, and booking confirmation. Plan the first version before building it.”"},{"type":"note","title":"Check your result","text":"Your factory is open and your submitted request is visible in chat. If the project picker is empty or Send is disabled, follow [project selection](/guides/create-project#project)."}]},{"id":"review-plan","title":"2. Review the plan and build","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Check that Rumata understood your requirements, answer questions, and approve the plan."},{"type":"steps","items":["Compare the proposed audience, main task, and features with your request. Ask for corrections where the plan differs from your intent.","Answer any questions in chat. Make sure the first version includes what you need to try the main task.","Approve the plan using the offered chat controls or explicitly ask Rumata to build it. Wait for the build to finish, then open Preview Mode."]},{"type":"example","title":"Salon booking app","text":"Check that the plan includes a service list, available times, booking confirmation, and saved appointments. Ask for any missing requirement before approving."},{"type":"note","title":"Check your result","text":"The first version opens in Preview. Read the completion reply for any unfinished work, then try the app yourself. If Preview cannot connect, use [preview troubleshooting](/guides/troubleshooting#preview)."}]},{"id":"test","title":"3. Try your app","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Complete its main task in Preview. Check the result, saved information where applicable, and mobile usability."},{"type":"steps","items":["Use Preview as your intended user would. Start at the beginning of the task and continue to its expected result.","Confirm that the result matches your requirements. If the app saves information, reload or reopen it and check that the information remains correct.","Switch the preview size to Mobile and repeat the main task. Check that text is readable and controls remain usable.","If something fails, tell Rumata what you did, what happened, and what you expected. After the fix, repeat the failed steps."]},{"type":"example","title":"Salon booking app","text":"Choose a service and time, complete the booking, and check the confirmation. If bookings should be saved, reopen the booking list and check that yours appears."},{"type":"note","title":"Check your result","text":"You can complete the main task and see the intended result on both screen sizes. Any information the app should retain remains available after reopening it."}]},{"id":"improve","title":"4. Make a change","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Describe what should change and the expected behavior. Test the change and confirm existing functionality still works."},{"type":"steps","items":["In the same factory’s chat, describe one change: where it belongs, what should happen, and what should stay the same.","Answer questions or review a plan if Rumata requests it. Wait for the change to finish.","Try the changed behavior in Preview, then repeat the original main task to confirm it still works."]},{"type":"example","title":"Salon booking app","text":"“In the salon booking app, let customers choose a preferred stylist before they select a time. Show only that stylist’s available times, and keep the original booking and confirmation flow working.”"},{"type":"note","title":"Check your result","text":"The change behaves as requested, and the app’s existing main task still works. If it does not, report the difference and retest after the fix."}]},{"id":"next-steps","title":"Next: get ready to share","blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Decide which parts of your application should be public and which should require sign-in. If people have different roles or private information, define who can view or change it. Ask Rumata to implement those rules and [test the relevant access paths](/guides/testing#access)."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"When the app is ready, follow [Publish your app](/guides/publishing). Publishing has its own review and verification steps; a working preview is not yet a live release."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Continue with the guides relevant to your app: [understand the architecture](/guides/architecture), [connect a backend](/guides/backends), [inspect stored data](/guides/system-explorer-database), or [build an automation](/guides/first-workflow)."}]}],"technical":[],"related":["feedback-board","architecture","backends","testing","publishing","prompting"],"sources":["content/guides/create-project.ts","content/guides/prompting.ts","content/guides/testing.ts","content/guides/databases.ts"],"audience":"general","media":[],"video":null,"url":"https://docs.rumata.dev/guides/first-app"}