New to AI Coding?
This isn't a tutorial. It's a map of the modern AI coding ecosystem—so you understand what tools exist, why they matter, and where beginners usually get burned.
The One Thing You Must Understand
AI can write code fast. It cannot judge quality, correctness, security, or long-term maintainability. If you don't put guardrails around AI output, you will eventually ship broken software or restart the project.
Lattice Core solves this. It's a free CLI that enforces version-aware rules, runs verification checks, and gives AI the guardrails it needs to produce production-ready code.
Get started with Lattice Core→Core Concepts
How Modern AI Coding Works
Real projects follow this loop:
AI only accelerates step 1. Everything else still applies.
What AI Is Bad At
- ✗Confidently generating incorrect code
- ✗Using APIs that don't exist in your installed versions
- ✗Breaking working code during refactors
- ✗Optimizing for plausible output, not correctness
Local vs Production
Runs on your machine. Uses test data. Errors only you see.
Runs on real servers with real users. Different databases, different configs.
"It works locally" means nothing by itself.
Your Core Tooling
Code Editors & AI Tools
Where you write code:
- • Generate and refactor code
- • Explain errors
- • Enforce standards
- • Guarantee correctness
- • Prevent regressions
Version Control: Git & GitHub
Tracks every change to your code so you can undo mistakes and understand history.
Hosts your Git repositories and connects your code to deployment and automation tools.
⚠️ Beginner mistake: Treating GitHub as optional. It is not.
Dependencies & Package Management
Most projects depend on external libraries.
npm / pnpm / yarnInstall libraries
package.jsonList of dependencies
Lock filesExact versions
Version mismatches break apps. Unpinned versions cause "random" failures.
Deployment & CI
Deployment & Hosting
Your code must run somewhere. Common platforms:
Deployment builds your code, runs it on servers, and exposes it to the internet.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration)
CI runs checks automatically when code changes. Typical checks:
Feels complex
Bugs pile up, refactors become dangerous
Data & Authentication
Databases & Storage
Your app needs to store data. Common choices:
⚠️ Bad schemas create permanent pain. Design carefully.
Authentication
Do not build this yourself.
Common tools:
They handle login, password security, OAuth, and session management.
Payments & Subscriptions
Stripe (Web/SaaS)
Stripe handles payments so you don't have to.
- • Credit card processing
- • Subscriptions & recurring billing
- • Invoices & receipts
- • Decide pricing for you
- • Prevent bad business decisions
🔒 Your app must never store raw card data.
Mobile Payments
Mobile apps have different payment rules:
RevenueCat manages subscriptions. Superwall manages presentation. Often used together.
Observability
Logs vs Errors vs Analytics
These are different things:
Confusing these leads to blind spots.
Error Tracking (Sentry)
Sentry tells you when your app breaks in production.
Why it matters: Users rarely report bugs. Production failures are invisible without tooling.
Analytics (PostHog)
Analytics show how users actually use your app. They answer:
- → What features matter?
- → Where do users drop off?
Building without analytics is guessing.
AI Providers & APIs
Getting API Access
An API lets your app talk to AI services. Here are the main providers:
- • API keys are secrets — never commit to Git
- • Usage is metered — costs can spike fast
- • Use environment variables, not hardcoded strings
Mobile vs Web
Understanding the Difference
This confuses everyone. They are not the same thing.
- • Runs in a browser
- • You control deployment
- • Stripe for payments
- • Instant updates
- • App Store / Play Store distribution
- • Subject to store reviews
- • Apple/Google take a cut
- • Updates require submission
This difference impacts architecture decisions early. Choose wisely.
Mobile Frameworks
Maximum control, two codebases.
Beginner-Safe Tech Stacks
What is a Tech Stack?
A tech stack is the set of technologies you choose to build and run a product.
Tools must work together. Bad combinations create constant bugs. Changing stacks mid-project is expensive.
Glossary
APIInterface for services to talk to each otherBackendServer-side logic and data processingCI/CDAutomated testing and deployment on code changesDeploymentRunning your app on servers for users to accessEnvironment VariablesExternal configuration values (secrets, URLs)FrontendUser interface layer that runs in browsers/appsGitVersion control system that tracks code changesRepositoryA code project stored in GitProductionLive environment with real usersLock FileExact dependency versions for reproducible buildsTech StackThe set of technologies chosen to build a productWebhookHTTP callback that notifies your app of eventsTool Directory
Version control & collaboration
Deploy web apps instantly
Postgres database + Auth + Realtime
Google's app platform
Payment processing
Mobile subscription management
Paywall optimization
Error tracking & monitoring
Product analytics & feature flags
Drop-in authentication
Identity platform
React Native framework
GPT models API
Claude models API
Google's AI models
Ready to Build?
Understanding the ecosystem matters more than writing clever prompts. Now that you know the landscape, start building with confidence.