Code · Builder

Indie SaaS (Gemini long-context)

Whole-codebase pair programming. Paste the repo, get architectural diffs back.

Different ergonomic from the Claude-led pair: instead of pasting individual files per turn, dump the entire repo into Gemini and let it reason across the whole graph. Claude takes over for tight, surgical edits; Gemini handles 'change auth across 14 files' moves.

CODEBUILDERADVANCEDAdvancedFrom $40/mo
GeminiClaudeFigma
The stack
Gemini
Whole-codebase reasoning

2M+ token context lets you paste the entire repo (or 'git ls-files | xargs cat') as part of every prompt. Best when changes span many files.

$20/mo Advanced · API tier-basedAlts: Claude
Claude
Surgical edits

When you know the file and the diff is local, Claude is faster and cheaper per turn. Use it for the last-mile edits.

$20/mo Pro · API $3/M tokensAlts: ChatGPT
Figma
UI sketching

Same role as the Claude-led stack. AI plugins draft from text; you refine.

Free · $15/mo ProAlts: Canva
Real monthly cost
small
$40/mo
Weekend MVP
  • gemini$20
  • claude$20
  • figmaFree
medium
$75/mo
Side project
  • gemini$20
  • claude$20
  • figma$15
  • + infra$20
heavy
$240/mo
Full-time founder
  • gemini$120 API tier
  • claude$20
  • figma$15
  • + infra$85
Workflow
  1. 1
    Sketch UIFigma

    Figma + AI plugin: text to wireframe. Same as the Claude-led stack.

  2. 2
    Dump the repoGemini

    From your terminal: `git ls-files | xargs cat > /tmp/repo.txt`. Paste that as one block into Gemini.

    Prompt · Whole-repo architectural change
    I'm pasting my entire repo below as one block. Each file starts with a "// path/to/file.ts" comment line.

Repo:
"""
{{paste repo dump}}
"""

The change I need:
"""
{{describe change in plain English, e.g. "swap the in-memory session store for Postgres-backed sessions, keep the public auth API stable"}}
"""

Output, in this order:
1. **Affected files** — bullet list with a 1-line "why" each.
2. **Migration order** — which files to change first so the build never breaks.
3. **Per-file diff** — unified diff for each file, in migration order.
4. **One thing I should NOT change** — even if it looks tempting in this diff.

Constraints:
- Match existing style (imports, naming, error handling).
- No new dependencies unless explicitly necessary.
- If you spot a real bug while reading the repo, mention it at the END as "Side observation", do not silently fix it.
  3. 3
    Surgical edits with ClaudeClaude

    Once Gemini gives you the cross-cutting plan, switch to Claude for individual file edits and bug fixes. Cheaper per turn, faster for local work.

  4. 4
    Voice mode for debuggingGemini

    Same as the recommended stack. Gemini's voice mode is fine here; the value is thinking out loud, not the LLM.

  5. 5
    ShipGemini

    Deploy to Vercel. First sale before bedtime.

What it produced
Indie hacker rewriting auth in one session

Swapped JWT-in-cookie for Postgres-backed sessions across 22 files in 90 minutes by pasting the whole repo into Gemini once and following its migration order. The Claude-led approach took 4 hours on a previous similar refactor because each file needed its own context paste.

Common pitfalls
Pasting secrets into the context window

`git ls-files | xargs cat` will happily include any .env files you committed. Audit before pasting; better, use `git ls-files -- ':!*.env*' ':!.git/*'`.

Long-context drift on edits

Gemini occasionally rewrites unrelated files when given the whole repo. Diff before you commit; reject any change you didn't ask for.

Cost spikes at the API tier

2M-token contexts get expensive fast on the API. Stay on the $20 chat tier for repos under ~150k LOC; switch to API only for bulk processing.

Other ways to do Indie SaaS in a weekend
Indie SaaS Recommended
Claude-led pair programming
$40/mo
View stack
Curated by @alex-w
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