This is the first entry in claude.log, a series documenting my experiments using Claude Code to build interesting apps, websites, and utilities.
The Setup
I’ve been meaning to redesign my personal site for a while. The old one worked, but it felt stale. Instead of spending a weekend bikeshedding over static site generators and CSS frameworks, I decided to pair with Claude Code and see what we could build in a single session.
The Process
I started with a design brief in a CLAUDE.md file describing the aesthetic I wanted: late-90s industrial web, like a technical manual or datasheet. Dark mode, boxed layouts, IBM Plex fonts, minimal decoration.
From there, it was conversational:
- “Scaffold a Hugo site with this design”
- “Make it more boxed, more borders”
- “Add tag support”
- “The noise texture looks like JPEG artifacts, try something else”
Each prompt refined the output. Claude Code handled the file creation, template logic, and CSS while I focused on direction and taste.
What Worked
The back-and-forth felt efficient. I could describe what I wanted in plain language and get working code back. When something looked wrong, I’d describe the problem and we’d iterate.
Having the AI handle the boilerplate (Hugo’s directory structure, taxonomy templates, responsive breakpoints) let me focus on the parts I actually cared about: the visual design and content structure.
What’s Next
I want to explore using this workflow for more ambitious projects. Maybe a CLI tool, a browser extension, or a small SaaS. The goal isn’t to have AI write everything. It’s to remove friction and stay in flow.
More entries coming as I experiment.