> Source URL: /unit-3/lectures/01-the-mvp/01-the-mvp.lecture
# Final Project: MVP

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## What is an MVP?

MVP stands for **Minimum Viable Product**. It is the smallest version of your project that actually works and does the one core thing your project is about.

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An MVP is not a rough draft or a broken prototype. It is a finished, working thing — just a small one. You can run it, use it, and show it to someone. It just does not have all the bells and whistles yet.

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## Why?

You have about 3 weeks. We need to keep it small enough to be manageable, but big enough to be interesting.

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# Three principles

1. Make it work (core functionality)
2. Make it beautiful (UI/UX)
3. Make it fast (optimizations)

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# 1. Make it work 🛠️

- The core functionality of your project
- The "business logic"
- Needs to be handcoded, ideally in a single module

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# 2. Make it beautiful ✨

- The user interface and experience (all the user sees)
- Can use libraries for styling, animations, etc.
- Optimize for a great demo and portfolio piece
- I can help you with this

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# 3. Make it fast ⚡️

- The performance of your project
- Optimizations, caching, etc.

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# 🤖 AI Agents

✅ Allowed for:

- UI/UX (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Pygame, etc.)
- Libraries (OpenAI, Matplotlib, Pygame, etc.)

🚫 Not allowed for:

- Core business logic (main python module)

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# "Business Logic"

- The core logic (e.g. functions) that make your project work
- Can be shared by multiple interfaces (e.g. CLI, web, mobile)
- Handcoded, well-tested, and documented

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# "Prompt Engineering"

- How to make AI do what you want
- Meta programming
- CSC-225 registration opens tomorrow!

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# Prompt Engineering Tips

- Use "plan mode" first
- Stay in the loop
- Give the agent examples (links, images, etc.)

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# 🎸 Jam Session + Check-ins


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## Backlinks

The following sources link to this document:

- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/index.path.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/edison-w/edison-w-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/duward-a/duward-a-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/duward-a/duward-a-2026-04-21.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/lucas-w/lucas-w-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/aiden-p/aiden-p-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/makayla-c/makayla-c-2026-04-21.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/thu-h/thu-h-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/thu-h/thu-h-2026-04-21.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/nate-m/nate-m-2026-04-21.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/nate-m/nate-m-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/makayla-c/makayla-c-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/luke-p/luke-p-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/yeoram-k/yeoram-k-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)
- [Lecture 1: The MVP](/unit-3/project-paths/miranda-m/miranda-m-2026-04-18.guide.llm.md)