Build an AI Web App with Cursor, Anthropic MCP, Next.js & Neon in 30 Minutes

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will build a full-stack AI-enabled web application that allows users to generate and manage images. Using modern tools such as Cursor IDE, Anthropic's Claude MCP server, Neon for PostgreSQL database management, and Tigris for file hosting, we will cover everything from project setup to user authentication. By the end, you will have a functional application ready for further enhancements.

Step 1: Set Up the Development Environment

To kick off your project, follow these steps to ensure your development environment is ready:

1. Install Required Tools:

   • Download and install Node.js from the official website if you haven't already.
   • Set up Cursor IDE, which will serve as your development environment.

2. Create a New Project:

   • In Cursor, create a new project folder for your application.
   • Open your terminal and navigate to your project directory.

3. Initialize Your Project:

   npm init -y
   

   This command creates a package.json file with default settings.

Step 2: Create and Configure the Database

Next, you'll need to set up your database using Neon.

1. Sign Up for Neon:

   • Go to Neon and create a free account to get started with database management.

2. Create a New Database:

   • After logging in, create a new PostgreSQL database for your application.
   • Note the connection string provided by Neon, as you will need it later.

3. Install PostgreSQL Client:

   • In your project directory, install the PostgreSQL client by running:

   npm install pg
   

Step 3: Integrate Neon MCP Server

Now, it's time to integrate the MCP server for AI functionalities.

1. Set Up the MCP Server:

   • Follow the documentation provided by Anthropic to set up the Claude MCP server.
   • Ensure you have your API keys ready for authentication.

2. Connect to MCP Server:

   • Use the following code snippet to establish a connection:

   const { MCP } = require('your-mcp-library');
   const mcp = new MCP('your_api_key');
   

Step 4: Build the Image Generation Platform

In this step, we will create the core functionality for image generation.

1. Set Up Routes:

   • Use Next.js to create API routes for handling image generation requests.
   • Create a file named image.js in the pages/api directory.

2. Implement Image Generation Logic:

   • Add the following code to handle incoming requests:

   export default async function handler(req, res) {
       const image = await mcp.generateImage(req.body);
       res.status(200).json({ image });
   }
   

Step 5: Implement Authentication

Adding user authentication enhances security and user management.

1. Choose an Authentication Method:

   • You can use libraries like next-auth for easy integration.
   • Install necessary packages:

   npm install next-auth
   

2. Set Up Authentication Routes:

   • Create authentication API routes using Next.js.
   • Ensure users can sign up, log in, and log out securely.

Step 6: Generate and Display Images

Now, let’s generate and display images on the front end.

1. Create a Frontend Component:

   • Use React components to create a user interface for image generation.

2. Handle Image Generation Requests:

   • Use the Fetch API to send requests to your image generation API endpoint:

   const response = await fetch('/api/image', {
       method: 'POST',
       body: JSON.stringify({ prompt: 'your_prompt_here' }),
       headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
   });
   const data = await response.json();
   

Step 7: Upload Images to Tigris

Finally, store your generated images securely using Tigris.

1. Sign Up for Tigris:

   • Create an account on Tigris and get your API keys.

2. Install Tigris SDK:

   npm install @tigrisdata/tigris
   

3. Implement Upload Functionality:

   • Create a function to upload images:

   const tigris = new Tigris('your_tigris_api_key');
   await tigris.upload('path_to_image', imageData);
   

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully built a full-stack AI-enabled web application for generating and managing images. You can now expand your application further by adding more features, improving the user interface, or integrating additional AI functionalities. Keep exploring and happy coding!