Build and Deploy a REST API in an Afternoon
Go from API spec to a live, documented REST API endpoint in 3–4 hours — without boilerplate from scratch.
Time Required
3–4 hrs
Expected Result
A deployed REST API with authentication, documented endpoints, and a working test suite.
Recommended Tools
Spec the API with AI
Describe your API's purpose to Claude and ask it to produce an OpenAPI 3.0 spec with all endpoints, request/response schemas, and authentication requirements.
Scaffold the Codebase
Paste the spec into Cursor or use GitHub Copilot to generate the full project structure — routes, controllers, middleware, and database models — from the spec.
Implement Business Logic
Work endpoint by endpoint in Cursor, describing the logic in plain English and letting the AI write the implementation while you review and adjust.
Write Tests
Ask GitHub Copilot to generate integration tests for each endpoint using your framework's testing library. Run the test suite and fix failures.
Deploy and Document
Deploy to a platform like Vercel or Railway using Aider's command-line workflow. Ask Claude to generate human-readable API docs from the OpenAPI spec.