Technical Foundations for Non-Technical AI Builders
Avthar Sewrathan
AI Product Leader & AI Coding Educator
Learn the essential technical concepts you need to build real projects with AI
The technical foundations are what separate people who build real things with AI from people who stay stuck at demos.
AI coding tools like Claude Code and Codex gave everyone the power to build. But many people are stuck on the sidelines.
They're intimidated by the technical jargon and unfamiliar tools (the terminal?!). Or they've built a prototype that got stuck when they needed to add the 5th feature or share with users.
The fix isn't writing code by hand or better prompting. It's understanding the handful of technical concepts behind every real app, how the pieces fit together, and which tools to build with and why.
This 1 day workshop gives you those foundations. You'll leave with:
✅ An architecture map for your next project
✅ An agent-ready spec to give to Claude / Codex
✅ Beginner friendly tech stack, Skills & MCP library, and security + production checklists
What makes this workshop different:
It's AI-first. You'll learn every concept through the lens of building with coding agents.
It's hands-on and personalized. You'll create a spec for a real project you want to build.
It's for non-technical/ semi-technical builders so you'll learn practical knowledge, not academic theory.
What you’ll learn
A hands-on deep dive into the essential technical concepts that separate AI-native builders from tinkerers
Learn the core parts of a modern app (frontend, backend, database, APIs, auth, and payments) so you can picture what the AI is building
Explain which parts run on your phone or laptop, what runs on a server, and where your data actually lives
Build a mental model and shared vocabulary that helps you better work with AI coding tools like Claude and Codex
Open the terminal, run and approve commands, and preview your work (all without the fear that used to stop you)
Learn what Skills, MCPs, and CLIs are and how to use them to help your coding agent (Claude or Codex) build your project
Know where to build, where commands run, and how to preview your app.
Walk away with an architecture map for the app you actually want to build, plus a recommended AI tech stack and toolkit
Understand what an API is and how to choose the right ones for your project
Understand the role of databases (MongoDB, Supabase), auth and login (Clerk, Firebase), and payments (Stripe) in your app
Use Git and GitHub for version control, and know the difference between dev and production.
Deploy an app or website to the web with Vercel or Cloudflare
Understand the path to publishing on the Apple or Google App stores
Spot the common mistakes that leak secrets or expose user data
Understand secrets and environment variables
Walk away with a security checklist to run through before anything you build goes live.
Write an agent-ready project spec that Claude Code or Codex can use to build your app
Understand how to layer building your project vs trying to build everything at once
Use the RPIT Loop (research, plan, implement, debug, test) on every project.
Workshop agenda
How Software Applications Actually Work
Common application types and the 5 foundational concepts to understand
The AI-Native Toolkit for Building
Tools you use to build with AI: Claude and Codex desktop apps, IDEs (VSCode), the terminal, AI native tooling (plugins, skills, MCPs, CLIs)
How to Architect Your App
Building blocks for your project, and how to choose them: APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic), Databases (MongoDB, Supabase), Authentication and Login (Clerk, Firebase), Payments (Stripe)
How to Ship Your App
Publish your app to real users, and keep developing it beyond prototype: Version control (git, GitHub), Hosting and Deployment (Vercel, Cloudflare), publishing to the Apple or Google app store
Ship Safer: Security Checklist
Must-know security concepts, best practices, and mistakes to avoid
Putting it all together: AI-Native Building Workflows
Learn repeatable workflows for building with AI, and create your project spec for Claude and Codex to build your app
Learn directly from Avthar
Avthar Sewrathan
AI Product Leader & AI Coding Educator | MongoDB, Timescale, VC-backed founder
Who this workshop is for
Non-technical and semi-technical operators in marketing, sales, product, ops, who want to build real projects with Claude Code and Codex
Founders and business owners who want to build products themselves, without outsourcing or waiting on a dev team.
People who have tried vibe coding but hit a technical wall and want the foundations to push through next time.
Prerequisites
Claude Code or Codex subscription
We'll use Claude Code and Codex as the tools we work with in the course
A project idea
Come with a real project idea you want to architect and create a spec for. It can be as simple or ambitious as you'd like!
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Avthar Sewrathan in a real-time, interactive format.
Agent-ready architecture map and project spec
Walk away with a project spec and architecture map for your project that Claude or Codex can build from.
Beginner-friendly tech stack for building
Beginner-friendly recommended tools and technologies for building websites, web apps, mobile apps, Mac apps and more.
Skills, Plugins, and MCP Resource Library
Curated list of Agent Skills, MCPs, Plugins, and CLIs to use when building your project with Claude Code and Codex.
Production checklists
Security and product readiness checklists to use in your projects.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals on the same learning journey.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or network on LinkedIn.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
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Frequently asked questions
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Reimbursement
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