1000 Cursor Prompts Failed, Desktop Commander Succeeded AI Coding Tips from a Real Startup Founder
AI Summary
This video is an in-depth interview and discussion with Michael Ajamian, founder of Aircore, about his journey using AI tools like Claude Desktop and Desktop Commander to overcome software development challenges on his HVAC tech startup project, AirPro. Michael shares his frustrations with traditional API-based AI platforms like Cursor that consumed his budget without tangible progress, and how switching to Claude Desktop with Desktop Commander enabled him to refactor and run his app codebase efficiently at a fraction of the cost. They discuss the technical challenges in upgrading the Flutter app for null safety, how AI helped manage complex multi-project codebases, and the importance of structured planning and testing in AI-assisted software engineering. The conversation also includes insights into differences in AI tool behavior between Cursor and Claude Desktop, ways to leverage AI for research and coding through sub-agents, and strategies for maintaining context and knowledge across large projects. Michael illustrates the practical AI-powered development by demoing his app and data visualization tools built using Desktop Commander. They highlight both the promises and limitations of AI developers today, including UX issues in AI platforms, costs, and the learning curve for non-expert users. The video concludes with reflections on how AI is transforming software engineering, balancing productivity with the need for human understanding, and encouragement for viewers to share their AI experiences.