Backed ByCombinator
Build software by describing it.
vly turns plain English into deployed full-stack apps — React + Vite + Convex + Tailwind, with built-in auth, real-time data, and one-click custom domains. Powered by Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and Gemini CLI.
Start here
Quickstart
From signup to a deployed app in five minutes. Step-by-step, with screenshots.
How vly works
The four-step loop — describe, plan, code, deploy. What’s happening behind the scenes.
Compare to Lovable, v0, Bolt
Where vly fits in the AI app builder landscape. Honest tradeoffs.
What you can build
Multi-tenant SaaS
Workspaces, roles, billing, and per-tenant data isolation.
AI chatbot
Streaming responses, tool calls, conversation memory, model selection.
Marketplace
Two-sided marketplace with Stripe Connect, escrow, and payouts.
Real-time chat
Channels, threads, presence, file uploads — built on Convex’s reactive sync.
Internal CRM
Pipeline, contacts, tasks, and email integration.
Multiplayer game
Sub-100 ms state sync, lobbies, matchmaking, leaderboards.
How it works
1
Describe what you want
Type a prompt. “A real-time task tracker for small teams. Each user has tasks, due dates, and can assign tasks to teammates. Email notifications on assignment.” That’s enough to start.
2
vly plans the build
Plan mode breaks the prompt into concrete steps — schema, pages, components, integrations — and shows you the diagram before any code is written. You can edit the plan directly.
3
An agent writes the code
Pick from Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, or Gemini CLI. The agent generates a typed React frontend, Convex backend, schema, and tests. You watch live in the editor.
4
One click to deploy
Push to your custom domain in seconds. Built-in auth, secure-by-default data access, and Convex’s reactive sync ship with every app.
Three coding agents, one workflow
Claude Code
Anthropic’s Claude. Best for large refactors and reasoning across many files. Default.
OpenAI Codex
Fast and surgical. Best on single-file edits and tight changes. Lowest cost per change.
Gemini CLI
Strong on multi-file design and schema modeling. Long context window.
Explore the docs
Building with vly
The day-to-day workflow: agent, plan, and code modes; iteration; collaboration; version history.
Prompting guide
The five-layer method, debugging prompts, prompt recipes by app type. The skill that makes everything else faster.
Convex deep dive
Schema, queries, mutations, actions, scheduled functions, vector search. Everything vly’s backend gives you.
Integrations
Stripe, OpenAI, Resend, GitHub, and 50+ more. Drop-in setup with copy-paste code.
Recipes
Step-by-step builds for the most-asked apps. Production patterns, not toy examples.
API reference
REST endpoints, authentication, SDKs in TypeScript and Python, webhooks. Try every endpoint live.
Frequently asked
What does vly generate, exactly?
What does vly generate, exactly?
A complete app: React + Vite frontend, Tailwind + shadcn/ui styling, Convex backend (schema, queries, mutations, actions), built-in authentication, and deployment configuration. The output is fully typed end-to-end. See How vly works.
Can I export the code?
Can I export the code?
Code export is on the roadmap. Today, your app runs on vly’s managed infrastructure and you can connect a custom domain. Track progress on the roadmap.
Which AI agent is best?
Which AI agent is best?
Depends on the task. Claude Code is the default and excels at large refactors and reasoning across many files. OpenAI Codex is fastest for tight code changes. Gemini CLI shines on multi-file design work. See Choosing an agent.
How is this different from Lovable, v0, or Bolt?
How is this different from Lovable, v0, or Bolt?
vly ships with a real backend (Convex), real-time sync, and built-in auth from day one — competitors give you a frontend and ask you to wire up Supabase or Firebase yourself. We’re also priced more aggressively. See the comparison.
What's the cost?
What's the cost?
Free tier covers exploration. Paid plans start at $3/month — typically 7× cheaper than comparable tools. See plans & pricing.
What’s new. Cross-project referencing, Gemini CLI as a third agent option, and a redesigned Plan mode. See the changelog for everything else.