Build a Mini Spotify with Cursor
Learn the basics of AI-assisted coding by building a real music app with Cursor - no experience required
Difficulty
Beginner
Time to complete
60 minutes
Availability
Free
BUILD
What you'll build
Step-by-step guide to using Cursor AI editor. Build a working music player in 60 minutes while learning how to code with AI assistance.
1. Set Up Cursor
Download Cursor, create an account, and configure your AI-powered code editor.
2. Clone the Starter from GitHub
Download the NextSound Spotify clone starter code from GitHub.
3. Explore NextSound
Use Cursor's AI chat to understand how the existing codebase works.
4. Run the App
Install dependencies and launch the app locally to see it in action.
5. Build a New Feature with AI
Plan and build a music queue feature using Agent mode.
6. Troubleshoot and Iterate
Fix errors and refine the feature using screenshots and iterative feedback.
Your portfolio builds as you work.
Every project documents itself as you go. Finish the work, and your proof is ready to share.
PROJECT
Real world application
Skills you'll learn
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Cursor Chat
Ask AI questions about your codebase and get instant explanations
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Agent Mode
Let Cursor write code and implement features autonomously
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Context Control
Manage what code Cursor sees to improve performance
-
Iterative Feedback
Use screenshots and prompts to guide AI to perfect results
Tech stack
-
Cursor
AI-powered code editor with Claude integration for context-aware development
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Spotify
Music streaming platform UI used in NextSound project
Huge thanks to NextWork for all the awesome hands on projects. I've done 17 so far and counting. Keep up the great work.
@stevenwaldron810
Active NextWork Student
OUTCOME
Where this leads.
Relevant Jobs
Roles where these skills matter:
- Frontend Developer (AI-assisted)
- Full Stack Developer
- Software Engineer
- Product Engineer
FAQs
Everything you need to know
“No prior coding experience is required for this project. This 60-minute tutorial is designed specifically for complete beginners. Cursor's AI assistant explains code as you build, answers your questions in real-time, and handles complex implementation details automatically. You'll learn by doing - building a working music player while Cursor guides you through each step.”
“Cursor offers a free Hobby plan that includes basic code completions and 50 slower premium requests per month - plenty to complete this 60-minute project. The Pro plan costs $20/month and uses a credit-based system for access to premium AI models like Claude Opus 4.1, Claude Sonnet 4.5, GPT-5, and Gemini 2.5 Pro. Most beginners can complete this entire project on the free tier.”
“Cursor Chat and Agent mode serve different purposes in your development workflow. Chat mode lets you ask questions about your codebase and receive explanations or code suggestions that you manually apply. Agent mode is more autonomous - it can edit multiple files, create new components, run terminal commands, and implement entire features based on your natural language instructions. In this project, you'll use Chat for learning and Agent for building the music queue feature.”
“Everything you learn in this tutorial transfers directly to any codebase. The AI chat techniques, Agent mode workflows, and .cursorignore configurations all work in any project. Many NextWork learners report using Cursor at work within days of completing this tutorial.”
“This project includes multiple support options. Each section has validation checkpoints to confirm you're on track, plus detailed troubleshooting guides for common issues. Join the NextWork Discord community for peer support and mentorship from experienced developers. You can also use Cursor's built-in AI to debug problems - just describe what's wrong and it will suggest fixes.”
One Project. Real Skills.
60 minutes from now, you'll have completed Build a Mini Spotify with Cursor. No prior experience needed. Just step-by-step guidance and a real project for your portfolio.
Beginner-friendly