Many people assume building a mobile app takes a computer science degree, six months of venture capital funding and several existential crises.
Turns out, for simple personal tools, it takes about one decent paragraph.
A quick reality check before we get carried away: if your dream app involves real-time encrypted banking or syncing complex medical records across three hospitals, a single AI prompt won’t do. Real software engineers are very much still required for the heavy lifting (and you’ll want them around when things break).
But if you want a neat little pocket tool for daily inspiration, family gift brainstorming or weekend nature spotting? AI can build it right now, directly inside a chat window, with zero coding on your end.
Here are three practical apps to try. Each prompt has brackets [like this]. Swap the bracketed words for what you want, paste it into an AI tool like Claude, and watch it assemble the interface.
What makes a good app prompt?
- Say what it does: State clearly who it is for and what should show on screen.
- Name the buttons: Be explicit (e.g., Next, Save, More ideas).
- Ask for legibility: Request large text, simple layouts and calm colours so it’s easy to tap on a phone screen.
- Refine in plain English: Keep going. Ask for changes until it suits you. If a button doesn’t work or the colours look like an 80s arcade game, just say so.
(Tip: For these examples, using Claude (claude.ai) is the easiest method. Its built-in preview panel lets you view, test, and publish mini-apps with a single click.)
Prompt 1: The Poem-a-Day App
Most of us last met Shakespeare in Year 10, under protest. Here is a gentler way back in: one poem or quote a day, matched to your mood.
Build me a simple app for my phone that shows one [poem, or quote from a play or book] a day from writers out of copyright, like [Shakespeare or Keats]. Add theme buttons for [the sea, a good laugh, courage], arrows for [yesterday and tomorrow] and a heart for [favourites]. Use big text and calm colours.
Why “out of copyright”?
Writers who passed away long ago (Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Keats, Whitman, Banjo Paterson) are in the public domain. Their words are free to share, copy, text to a friend who needs cheering up, or stick on the fridge.
Prompt 2: The Christmas Gift Brainstormer
Christmas has an uncanny habit of sneaking up. This app does the heavy creative lifting: tell it who the gift is for and it comes back with clever ideas to suit that person, not another box of chocolates.
Build me a Christmas gift idea app for my phone. I type in [who the gift is for], [their quirks, passions, or a shared memory], [my budget] and [the kind of gift style: homemade, an experience or something unique]. Suggest [five] clever, personal gift ideas, each with a one-line reason it suits them and the first step to make it happen. Add a button for [more ideas] and a heart to save [favourites]. Use big text and calm colours.
The more detail you give it, the sharper the ideas. A memory beats a hobby every time.
Here’s an output example:
(For ideas on what to ask for yourself—like turning a family story into an original song or a photo into custom artwork—see my post: 10 Unique, AI-Powered Christmas Gift Ideas.)
Prompt 3: The Coastal Nature & Rockpool Spotter
Whether you’re strolling a headland path or poking around tidal rockpools, this turns an ordinary afternoon wander into a low-key treasure hunt—no dog-eared paper field guides required.
Build me a simple coastal nature spotter app for my phone. Let me filter by location [rockpools, headland trails, or coastal bushland]. Show common [birds, sea creatures, or native plants] with a quick description of what to look for and a fun fact for the kids. Add a checkbox button for [Spotted!]. Use large text and coastal sea-green tones.
How to put it on your phone
You don’t need the App Store. Once the AI builds your preview, it lives as a private web app you can save right to your home screen.
1. Generate your link (e.g., in Claude):
- In Claude, your app appears in a panel beside the chat. Click Publish, copy the link, and send it to yourself by email or message.
- (If Claude won’t build the visual app, check that Code execution and file creation is switched on under Settings → Capabilities).
- Note: Simple apps (like the poem reader or checklist) will open instantly for anyone. Apps that generate brand-new AI text dynamically inside the app may ask the person tapping the link to sign in to Claude.
2. Open the link on your phone:
- iPhone: Open the link in Safari, tap the Share icon (the square with the upward arrow), and select Add to Home Screen.
- Android: Open the link in Chrome, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, and select Add to Home screen (or Install app).
3. Tap Add. The icon will sit on your home screen just like any other app.
If you get stuck, paste this into the AI that built your app: “Give me step-by-step instructions to open this app on my [iPhone or Android] and add it to my home screen”.
Make it yours
Once you see your first app light up, the possibilities multiply. A weekly meal rotation, a walking log, a kids’ weekend chore tracker, or a padel tournament scoreboard.
Describe it in plain English, name the buttons, and ask.
AI can write the code and build the buttons. But it won’t water the ferns, wrap the gifts or turn the page for you. That part is yours.
As always, first look after your health, your peace and those who love you true.
Namaste,
Annie.
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