Top SAAS Component Libraries for building MVPs

Hi! I'm Harshil, founder of Dream Launch Studios. I want to share how I take an idea and turn it into a minimum viable product (MVP) using modern UI component libraries like Aceternity UI, Magic UI, cult/ui, and other cutting-edge design systems. My goal is to help you build and launch a product quickly—usually within six weeks—by focusing on documentation, planning, and rapid prototyping with the best UI libraries available.

1. 🚧 How I Start with Documentation

For me, everything begins with solid documentation. I create several key documents to keep the project clear and organized:

Product Requirements Document (PRD): This is my detailed blueprint. It covers the product idea, features, pricing tiers, risks, authentication roles, and integrations.
Roadmap/Timeline: I map out how development will progress feature by feature.
Database Design: I define the database schema using Prisma ORM and Supabase for the backend.
UI Design: I specify colors, fonts, and design principles to keep the UI consistent.
Legal Documents: I prepare privacy policies and terms to stay compliant.
Additional Docs: To-do lists, API documentation, role-based access docs, and a README for setup instructions.

Having these documents upfront helps me and anyone else involved stay aligned and work efficiently.

2. 🚀 Choosing the Right UI Libraries for My MVP

To demonstrate, I pick a simple to-do app idea. For the UI, I carefully select from the best modern component libraries:

Primary Libraries:

Aceternity UI - For stunning animations and interactive components
Magic UI - For beautiful, accessible components with smooth animations
cult/ui - For modern, minimalist design patterns
animata - For advanced animation components
Headless UI - For accessible, unstyled components

Shadcn-based Libraries:

Origin UI - Beautiful components built with Tailwind CSS and Next.js
Bundui - Tailwind CSS and Framer Motion component collection
FarmUI - Styled and animated components based on shadcn
Launch UI - Professional component library
MixUi - Modern component collection

I use ChatGPT to act as a senior product manager, prompting it carefully to generate a detailed PRD. This helps me clarify the scope and features before coding.

3. 🚧 Setting Up My Codebase with UI Libraries

I start with a T3 stack template repo (Next.js, TypeScript, Prisma, etc.) that already has authentication and structure set up. I clone it, install dependencies with PNPM, and integrate my chosen UI libraries:

# Install primary UI libraries
pnpm add @aceternity/ui @magic-ui/react @cult/ui @animata/react @headlessui/react

# Install shadcn-based libraries
pnpm add @origin-ui/react @bundui/react @farmui/react @launch-ui/react @mixui/react

I use semantic commit messages to keep version control clean. This jumpstarts my development with the best UI components available.

4. 🚧 Designing the Database

From the PRD, I draft the database schema in Prisma. I connect it to Supabase and use eraser.io to generate AI-powered database diagrams. These visuals help me understand relationships between tables like users, tasks, notifications, and analytics. It's a crucial step to ensure my backend matches the product needs.

5. 🎨 Crafting the UI Design with Modern Libraries

I create a UI design doc outlining colors, fonts, and principles. I browse the component libraries I've chosen:

Aceternity UI for hero sections and interactive elements
Magic UI for forms and data displays
cult/ui for navigation and layout components
animata for micro-interactions and loading states
Headless UI for accessible dropdowns and modals

I share these designs with AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to generate UI guidelines and component combinations. I aim for a clean, modern look that leverages the best of each library.

6. 🚧 Backend Setup and Running Locally

I create a new Supabase project, set environment variables, and connect it to my Prisma schema. Then I run the app locally to preview the landing page and basic features. Prisma handles schema generation and migrations smoothly, so this step is quick.

7. 💻 Using AI to Build the Frontend with UI Libraries

I leverage AI coding assistants like Cursor to generate frontend pages and mock APIs based on my PRD and UI docs. I prompt the AI as a senior software engineer skilled in Next.js, TypeScript, and modern UI libraries:

Example prompt: "Create a landing page using Aceternity UI's hero components, Magic UI's cards, and cult/ui's navigation. Include smooth animations from animata and accessible components from Headless UI."

The AI quickly produces components, routing, and mock data, helping me build a responsive landing page that combines the best features from each library.

8. 🚀 Final Tips from My Workflow

I focus on crafting good prompts to get the best AI output.
Semantic commits keep my version history meaningful.
I save screenshots of diagrams and design references for easy access.
I prepare legal docs early to avoid compliance issues.
I work iteratively, developing backend, frontend, and docs in parallel.
I carefully choose UI libraries that complement each other rather than overlap.

🚀 Summary

This is how I build AI-first MVPs efficiently with modern UI libraries:

Start with detailed documentation.
Choose complementary UI libraries (Aceternity UI, Magic UI, cult/ui, etc.).
Use AI tools to generate docs, code, and designs.
Use modern stacks like T3, Prisma, and Supabase.
Visualize database schemas with AI diagrams.
Get UI inspiration and generate components with AI.
Maintain good project hygiene with clear commits and docs.

Following this process helps me go from idea to a market-ready MVP in just weeks. If you want, I can share my template repo and example docs to help you get started faster!