Published on: July 30, 2024
My AI Sidekick Built Tetris?! (Okay, I Helped a Bit!)
Alright, gather 'round folks, because I’ve got a story for ya! You know that React Tetris game on my site? Looks pretty neat, right? Well, what if I told you that a significant chunk of it was built… by talking to an AI? Yep, you heard that right! Welcome to the future, baby!
The Spark: "Can We Build Tetris... with AI?"
So, there I was, thinking about what cool project to add to my portfolio. Tetris is a classic, a rite of passage for many devs. But I wanted to try something different for the development process itself. I’ve been super curious about how far we can push AI in actual, hands-on coding. And that’s when the idea hit me: let’s see if my AI assistant and I can tag-team this!
The challenge wasn't just to build Tetris, but to do it primarily through a conversational interface with an AI, making it almost like a pair programming session where my partner is, well, a super-intelligent language model.
Meet the Dream Team: My Dev Toolkit
For this adventure, I had a few trusty tools by my side, making the whole experience incredibly smooth. Check out the lineup:
Firebase Studio (formerly Project IDX)
Seriously, this thing is a game-changer! It’s a cloud-based development environment that I can access from anywhere. Setting up my Next.js project, running the dev server, and even accessing a terminal – all in my browser. It felt like having a fully-fledged coding setup without any of the local machine headaches. Super slick!
My AI Co-Pilot (Gemini models!)
This was the star of the show! I was using an advanced Gemini model. It wasn't just about asking it to write a function here and there. It was a proper back-and-forth. I’d describe a feature, ask for options, debug issues, and even get explanations for complex logic. More on this below!
GitHub
Old reliable! Even when an AI is writing a lot of the code, version control is still your best friend. Every significant step, every new feature (AI-generated or tweaked by me) went straight into a Git commit. Saved my bacon a few times, as it always does.
Namecheap
Gotta have a cool domain name, right? I snagged mine through Namecheap. The process was so straightforward – a few clicks, and boom, my little piece of the internet real estate was secured. It’s amazing how easy this has become.
The AI Collab: It’s Like Magic, But With Prompts!
Okay, so how did the AI part actually work? It was a series of conversations, really. Here’s a (super simplified) idea of our chat:
Me: "Hey AI, let's build Tetris in React with TypeScript. Can you set up the basic game board component? 10x20 grid, please!"
AI (Gemini): "Sure thing! Here’s a basic Board component and the CSS for the grid..." (Generates code snippet)
Me: "Sweet! Now, how about making tetrominoes fall from the top? And let's handle their movement with arrow keys."
AI (Gemini): "Okay, for that, we'll need to manage the piece's position in state, handle keyboard events, and implement a game loop for gravity. Here’s how we can approach it..." (Explains and generates more code)
We went back and forth like this for everything: collision detection, line clearing, scoring, the hold feature, ghost piece, even sound effects and touch controls! Sometimes the AI nailed it on the first try. Other times, I had to clarify, ask for revisions, or point out bugs. It was a genuine collaboration – I was the director, providing the vision and the high-level logic, and the AI was the incredibly fast and knowledgeable developer bringing those ideas to life.
The Future is NOW: Anyone Can Build Amazing Things!
Going through this process has been mind-blowing. The fact that I could conceptualize and guide the creation of a fully functional Tetris game, leveraging these powerful tools, feels like living in the future. Firebase Studio made the dev environment a breeze, the Gemini model did the heavy lifting on code, GitHub kept it all safe, and Namecheap got me online effortlessly.
This isn't just about making developers like me faster; it’s about lowering the barrier to entry for *everyone*. Got an idea for an app, a game, a website? With tools like these, you’re not just dreaming; you’re a few good prompts away from making it real. It’s genuinely a dream-like world for creators right now, and the possibilities feel endless!
This entire portfolio site, including this blog, is a testament to that. It’s my experiment in this new era of development, and I’m so stoked to share it with you.