47Big projects in pieces

Once a project outgrows a single evening, the way you work changes.

The main principle: don't ask for all of it at once. "Build me a service" is a bad task. It will build something, you'll look at it and realise it's wrong, and you'll both have wasted the time.

The right way is pieces you can check. First a page that simply opens. Then a form on it. Then the form saving something. Every step ends at a moment where you can look and say "yes, that works".

A useful habit: ask it to write the plan first. "Don't build yet, list the steps this breaks into." You see the plan, you correct it, and only then off you go. That catches misunderstandings before they turn into code.

And save after every good piece. That's what lets you try the next one boldly: if it breaks, you roll back.