AI-Accelerated Software Development: Foundations, Safe Prompting, and Hands-On Projects with Cursor and Claude Code

Hello and welcome! This course is designed for modern software builders who want to harness generative AI to ship high-quality code faster, ethically, and safely. With a warm, community-centered approach and practical examples that prioritize real-world impact, you’ll learn how to use Cursor and Claude Code as trusted pair programmers—accelerating your workflow while maintaining craftsmanship, security, and clarity.

What You Will Gain

• Confidence using Cursor and Claude Code to plan, scaffold, implement, and refactor features across real projects.
• Safe prompting habits that protect data, respect licensing, and avoid common AI pitfalls.
• Clear workflows to review, test, and integrate AI-generated code into professional repositories.
• Reusable prompt patterns for debugging, documentation, code review, and unit/integration test generation.
• Hands-on experience building apps that serve local needs—multilingual tools, small-business automations, and community services.
• A portfolio of projects and guidance to apply AI-assisted development in your team or freelance practice.

Key Topics and Skills

• Foundations of AI in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC): when and how to use AI responsibly.
• Safe Prompting Essentials: protecting secrets/PII, license-aware generation, and secure-by-default patterns.
• Cursor Deep Dive: chat-driven edits, codebase Q&A, test generation, refactors, and repo-aware workflows.
• Claude Code in Practice: structured prompts, context management, code reviews, type hints, docstrings, and design critiques.
• Prompt Patterns: task decomposition, stepwise planning, constraints, self-checks, and iterative refinement.
• Code Quality & Reliability: unit/integration testing, static analysis, linting, and CI/CD integration.
• Debugging with AI: reproducing issues, log analysis, performance tuning, and safe fixes.
• Full-Stack Project Work: APIs, front-end components, data pipelines, and automation scripts.
• Responsible AI & Governance: ethics, bias awareness, audit trails, and team collaboration norms.
• Deployment & Maintenance: version control discipline, documentation, observability, and sustainable iteration.

Hands-On Projects

• Local-Language Support Bot: a multilingual helper for community FAQs using safe context and structured prompts.
• Small Business Toolkit: invoice automation, inventory tracking, and reporting with AI-assisted testing and docs.
• Community Data Pipeline: ingesting and cleaning public datasets with reproducible, license-aware code.
• Full-Stack App Sprint: AI-assisted scaffold, human-reviewed architecture, and CI/CD deployment.

Target Audience

• Software developers, tech leads, QA engineers, and product-minded builders seeking practical AI acceleration.
• Students, career switchers, and freelancers aiming to deliver real value quickly while learning best practices.
• Teams and entrepreneurs building tools for local communities, small enterprises, NGOs, and government services.

Prerequisites

• Basic programming skills (e.g., JavaScript/TypeScript or Python) and familiarity with Git.
• Comfort with a modern IDE and the command line; willingness to learn new tools.
• Laptop with internet access; optional: Docker and a GitHub account for CI/CD labs.

Course Benefits and Real-World Applications

• Build faster without sacrificing quality: reduce boilerplate and focus on design, tests, and user value.
• Deliver multilingual, culturally aware solutions that serve local communities and businesses.
• Strengthen employability with portfolio projects and demonstrable AI-assisted workflows.
• Adopt ethical and secure practices aligned with professional standards and team governance.
• Accelerate prototyping for startups, streamline tasks for SMEs, and improve services for public-sector and nonprofit initiatives.

Motivation and Cultural Fit

We know learners thrive with welcoming guidance, practical examples, and visible progress. This course emphasizes collaborative learning, clear explanations, and step-by-step projects that reflect everyday needs—supporting family goals, community impact, and career growth. You’ll build tools in the languages your community speaks, automate repetitive work for local businesses, and create solutions you can proudly share. By combining Cursor and Claude Code with thoughtful prompting and rigorous review, you’ll develop the confidence to ship real software that respects people, safeguards data, and makes a difference.