Build useful digital tools with AI.
Plain-English guides for starting with a real problem, choosing the right tools, and building safely. Learn how to turn an everyday need into a working tool without getting lost in technical detail.
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places... other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
In software and technology, building is much like scattering seed. You experiment with ideas, write code, prompt models, and test workflows. Many attempts fall on hard paths or get choked out by complexity. But if fear stops you from scattering seeds, you never find good soil. When an idea genuinely serves a real person, it takes root.
The three pillars of Goodsoil Dev
Start with a real problem, then use the guides, tools, and working apps below to see what helps.
Pillar 1
Guides for building with AI
Guides for turning an everyday need into a clear plan, using AI where it helps, and checking the result before it affects anyone.
Explore guides→Pillar 2
Tools I Use
The coding assistants, model providers, and hosting services I use to build and publish projects.
View tools→Pillar 3
Apps Built & Hosted
Small applications made for education, games, faith, music, and community groups.
See applications→Guides
Practical guides for building with AI
Start with a real problem, then learn how to choose tools, protect sensitive information, and publish a working app.
Tools
Tools I use
The coding assistants, model providers, and hosting services I use to build and publish projects.
Oh My Pi (OMP) & Pi
A terminal-based coding assistant built on Pi. I use it first when working in a project.
OpenCode & Claude Code
Coding assistants for working in a terminal, IDE, or existing codebase.
Vercel & Zeabur
Hosting platforms for publishing websites, web services, and databases.
Apps
Applications built for real life
Small web applications for education, games, faith, music, and community groups.
From idea to working tool
Each application below was built to meet a concrete need for students, church groups, musicians, or community events. I usually ask another model to check and audit the result before deployment.
See all 8 working applications
Good News
No account neededA guided, visual way to share the good news of Jesus in under seven minutes.
Read overview→Puzzle Arena
Free, sign in with GoogleMultiplayer puzzle rooms and classic board games with live lobbies and solo bot play.
Read overview→Professor Turtle
Free, sign in with GoogleAn AI study companion for Singapore students and parents.
Read overview→About The Developer
Who builds Goodsoil Dev
Maintained by James Chia. I build small web applications for real people and write about what I learn.