The Full Arc

24 Weeks.
One Real Product.

8 weeks learning the stack. 16 weeks building your product. Every week has a deliverable — something real, not a homework exercise.

Phase 1: Learn
Weeks 1–8
Phase 2: Build
Weeks 9–24

Foundation

Weeks 1–3: Environment, mindset, and first code

Week 1

Setup & Orientation

Install your tools, meet your cohort, understand the mission.

VS Code + Cursor AI setupGitHub basicsWhat is Next.js and whyVillageCircle philosophy as product doctrine
→ Working dev environment + GitHub profile live
Week 2

HTML, CSS & Tailwind

Learn to speak the web's visual language.

HTML structureCSS fundamentalsTailwind CSS utility classesMobile-first design thinking
→ A styled landing page for your product idea
Week 3

JavaScript & React Basics

Add interactivity. Make things respond.

JavaScript fundamentalsReact componentsState and propsEvent handling
→ Interactive component for your landing page

Product Thinking

Weeks 4–5: Build the right thing, not just a thing

Week 4

User Research & Problem Definition

Talk to real people. Validate before you build.

User interviews (5-question method)Problem statement frameworkPersona creationNigerian market nuances
→ 3 user interviews completed + validated problem statement
Week 5

Product Design & Wireframing

Sketch your product before writing a line of code.

Wireframing with Figma (basics)User flow mappingMVP scopingv0 for rapid UI generation
→ Wireframes for your MVP — 5 core screens

Full-Stack Foundations

Weeks 6–8: Database, backend, and deployment

Week 6

Next.js Deep Dive

App Router, Server Components, and routing.

Next.js App RouterServer vs Client componentsAPI routesTypeScript basics
→ Multi-page Next.js app with routing
Week 7

Supabase & Database

Store data. Build authentication. Make it real.

Supabase setupPostgreSQL basicsAuthentication (email + OAuth)Row Level Security
→ App with user auth and database integration
Week 8

Deployment & AI Workflow

Ship your first real product. Then add AI.

Vercel deploymentEnvironment variablesClaude Code workflowCursor AI pair programming
→ MVP v0.1 live on Vercel — share the URL with cohort

Build Sprint 1

Weeks 9–14: Core product development

Week 9

Core Feature Development

Build the 3 features that define your product.

Feature prioritisationPair programming sessionsCode reviews
→ 3 core features live
Week 10

Payments & Monetisation

Integrate Paystack. Make your product earn.

Paystack integrationSubscription flowsReceipt generation
→ Payment flow working end-to-end
Week 11

First Real Users

Acquire your first 10 users. Listen and adapt.

User acquisition basicsFeedback collectionIteration cycles
→ 10 real users on your product
Week 12

Mid-Program Demo

Present your progress to the cohort and mentors.

Demo preparationMetrics storytellingPeer feedback
→ Live demo to cohort + written progress report
Week 13

Analytics & Decisions

Measure what matters. Cut what doesn't.

Basic analytics setupKey metrics for your productData-informed decisions
→ Analytics dashboard configured
Week 14

Scale or Pivot

Based on real data — double down or change direction.

Pivot frameworksFeature roadmapUser retention basics
→ Revised roadmap based on user data

Build Sprint 2

Weeks 15–22: Growth and polish

Week 15

Mobile Optimisation

Make it work for everyone, including smartphone-first users.

PWA basicsMobile UX patternsPerformance optimisation
→ Mobile score 90+ on Lighthouse
Week 16

WhatsApp Integration

Meet your users where they already are.

WhatsApp Business APINotification flowsAutomated messages
→ WhatsApp notification live for key user actions
Week 17

AI Feature Integration

Add one AI-powered feature to your product.

Claude API basicsAI prompt engineeringCost management for AI features
→ One AI feature shipped to users
Week 18

Security & Reliability

Build something people can trust.

Input validationRate limitingError handlingBackup strategies
→ Security checklist completed
Week 19

Content & SEO

Make your product findable.

Next.js metadataSEO basics for Nigerian marketSocial sharing
→ Product indexed on Google
Week 20

Business Model Clarity

Understand exactly how your product makes money.

Unit economicsNigerian payment culturePricing strategy
→ Revenue model documented and tested
Week 21

Team & Collaboration

Build with others without breaking things.

Git collaboration workflowsCode review cultureRemote async work
→ Collaborative project with a cohort member
Week 22

Pre-Demo Prep

Prepare for the final showcase.

Product positioningDemo scriptPortfolio write-up
→ Demo-ready product + portfolio entry written

Final Showcase

Weeks 23–24: Ship, showcase, graduate

Week 23

Final Polish & Launch

Last refinements before the public showcase.

Bug fixesPerformanceLaunch checklist
→ Product at v1.0 — launch-ready
Week 24

Cohort Demo Day

Present to the Village Circle. Graduate.

Public demoPeer recognitionNext steps planning
→ Graduated. Portfolio live. Next cohort or product growth path chosen.

Ready to start Week 1?

Applications are free. Takes 5 minutes.

Apply for Cohort 1 →
VillageCircle — Where Conviction Becomes Code