Getting Started · Docs

StarterFree

OverviewLink to section

Starter Free gives you a credible SaaS surface out of the box.

Not a blank repo. Not a backend-heavy template. Not a toy demo.

It gives you a production-shaped UI with real screens, real states, and real navigation so you can validate your product direction before investing in backend complexity.

The goal is simple:

run it in minutes, understand it quickly, and adapt your first product surface fast.

Why this matters

Most SaaS projects lose time before users ever see the product. Starter Free helps you make the product visible earlier, so you can validate UX, messaging, and flows before wiring the full business layer.

What you’ll learnLink to section

Product surface

Understand the screens, layouts, states, and flows included in Starter Free.

Fast validation

Adapt the starter into a first vertical slice without rebuilding the product surface.

Upgrade path

Know what is mocked, what is production-ready, and when Starter Pro becomes the next step.

Mental modelLink to section

Starter Free is a UX contract, not a full backend implementation.

You keep:

screens
navigation
components
states
product structure

You replace later:

mock data
auth provider
billing logic
API calls
database contracts

Frontend-first by design

Starter Free is intentionally mocked. This lets you evaluate structure and UX first, then wire auth, data, and billing progressively when the product needs it.

StepsLink to section

Understand what is includedLink to section

Starter Free gives you the main surface area of a SaaS product.

Surface	What it gives you
Auth UX	Login, register, forgot password, loading and error-ready states
Dashboard	Layout, navigation, KPI cards, and structured product surface
Projects	Table, loading state, empty state, rename dialog, delete confirmation, details page
Admin	Members list, invitations, roles, and invite workflow
Billing	Current plan, invoice table, portal entry point, and payment method surface
Settings	Profile, organization, security, and danger zone structure

This is enough to validate a real product direction before wiring production services.

Know what is intentionally mockedLink to section

Starter Free does not connect to production services.

It does not include:

database schema
API routes
Stripe integration
session management
email provider
role-based access control

That is intentional.

starter-free-boundary.txt

Starter Free
  UI surface
  product flows
  mock data
  realistic states

Starter Pro
  auth wiring
  billing wiring
  backend foundation
  production flows

The goal is to avoid backend friction before you know the product surface is worth wiring.

Explore the vertical sliceLink to section

After installation, inspect the starter as a user would.

Open:

/dashboard
/projects
/projects/[id]
/admin
/billing
/settings

Then test:

table loading and empty states
rename dialog
delete confirmation
member invitation flow
billing surface
settings tabs

This gives you the product logic before you start changing code.

Adapt one product surfaceLink to section

Start small. Rename one core entity and adjust the first product flow.

Good first changes:

rename “Projects” to your domain entity
update dashboard KPIs
change empty state copy
adjust navigation labels
add one new route
update brand tokens

This is enough to create a credible demo or first MVP surface.

What Starter Free solvesLink to section

Auth UX

Starter Free includes the screens and interaction states needed to model authentication before wiring a provider.

/login/register/forgot-passwordError-ready formsPassword visibility toggle

What you can ship quicklyLink to section

After installation, you can produce a credible first version by changing:

Task	Outcome
Rename “Projects”	Makes the starter match your domain
Update dashboard KPIs	Makes the product story specific
Rewrite empty states	Makes the UX feel intentional
Adjust navigation labels	Makes the product easier to demo
Change brand tokens	Makes the interface feel owned
Add one route	Proves the structure can grow

That is enough to:

show a client
pitch an MVP
validate UX
record a product demo
test your product narrative

Decision guideLink to section

Use Starter Free if:

you are validating UX
you are pitching a product
you are building a frontend-first MVP
you want product structure before backend
you need something credible fast

Move to Starter Pro when you need:

real authentication
Stripe billing
backend APIs
protected routes
database-backed product flows
role-based access control
production delivery

Prefer

explore the full vertical slice first
adapt one domain entity before rewriting structure
keep mock data while validating UX
wire backend only when the product direction is clear
upgrade when auth, billing, and data become the blocker

Avoid

treating Starter Free like a complete SaaS backend
rewriting the structure before understanding it
mixing UI and business logic too early
removing product surfaces before testing the full flow
adding backend complexity before validating the product

First run pathLink to section

Follow this sequence after cloning:

open /dashboard
open /projects
rename a project
delete a project
open a project details page
open /admin
open /billing
open /settings

This path shows the product shape: dashboard, entity workflow, admin surface, billing surface, and settings structure.

Upgrade when wiring becomes the blocker

Starter Free validates the product surface. Starter Pro wires the business layer with production-shaped auth, billing, backend, and delivery foundations. → /docs/starter-pro

Common questionsLink to section

Next stepsLink to section

InstallationRun Starter Free locally and explore the real application screens and flows.Project structureUnderstand how the starter is organized before extending product features.Authentication conceptLearn how authentication is modeled before connecting a real provider.Upgrade to Starter ProProKnow when Starter Free stops being enough and Starter Pro becomes the faster launch path.