From Idea to App: Building a React App with ChatGPT, GitHub, Free APIs and Bolt.new8 min read·Just now--What if building a React app didn’t require writing code from scratch or memorizing CLI commands?With a little help from ChatGPT and a powerful tool called Bolt.new, you can go from an idea to a working web app — entirely through your browser.This article walks you through that process: generating a fresh app idea with ChatGPT, creating a GitHub repository via the GitHub UI, and connecting that repo to Bolt.new to bring the concept to life. No command line. No setup headaches. Just your idea, a few clicks, and a smart assistant to do the heavy lifting.What Is Bolt.new?Bolt.new is a browser-based development environment powered by StackBlitz’s WebContainers. It lets you build full-stack applications using natural language prompts, edit files, run Node.js servers, and even deploy your apps — all in-browser.When you connect it to a GitHub repository, it can read your files and build your app based on what it finds — like an idea stored in a .txt file.Create a GitHub Repository (No CLI Needed)Start by going to GitHub and logging in. Click the + icon in the upper-right corner and choose New repository.Name your repository something like react-ai-dog-recommender and check the box to initialize it with a README. Leave everything else as default. Click Create repository.You now have a place to store your app idea — and soon, your app itself.Use ChatGPT to Generate a React App IdeaNow visit ChatGPT and use a prompt like this:“Give me an idea for a React-based application that uses AI to give personalized dog recommendations based on user preferences. What is the best dog for a users personality? Please be verbose with the requirements.”You’ll get a detailed response, possibly something like:Copy the entire idea — don’t edit it yet. That raw inspiration is going straight into your repo.Upload the App Idea to GitHubBack on GitHub, open your new repository and click Add file > Upload files. Choose Create new file if you prefer typing it in directly.Name the file app_idea.txt.Paste the full ChatGPT output into this file.Scroll down and click Commit new file.Now your app idea is stored in GitHub, and Bolt.new will be able to find it.Connect Bolt.new to Your GitHub RepoIn your browser’s address bar, enter the following (replacing placeholders with your actual info):https://bolt.new/~/github.com/your-github-username/react-ai-dog-recommenderBolt.new will automatically clone your repo and open a browser-based IDE with your app_idea.txt visible in the file tree. (The assumption is that you setup Bolt.new using your GitHub — which is the preferred way).Tell Bolt.new to Build the AppClick on app_idea.txt to review your idea. Then go to the prompt bar at the bottom of the Bolt.new interface and type:Build a React application based on the description in app_idea.txt.Bolt.new will begin scaffolding your app. Depending on your description, it may create multiple components, set up a project structure, and even add mock data or routing. It probably won’t try to add APIs or databases until you explicitly tell it to.If anything is missing, you can guide Bolt.new further by adding prompts like:Add a homepage with a “Rate Your Favorites” form or Implement a simple login screenRefine, Test, and LaunchOnce your basic app is generated, you can interact with it in the live preview panel. Make adjustments using prompts or edit the files manually in the file tree.Bolt.new lets you run the app, preview it, and deploy it without leaving the browser. When you’re happy with it, hit deploy or push it back to GitHub.ConclusionThis flow — from idea to app — is a glimpse into the future of development. By combining GitHub for storage, ChatGPT for ideation, and Bolt.new for build-and-deploy power, you can shortcut the traditional dev cycle and focus on what really matters: great ideas and functional user experiences.If you’re an educator, a founder, or just someone with an idea and no time to code — it’s never been easier to make it real.Addendum: How to Use APIs with Bolt.new (The Right Way)Bolt.new is powerful, but it’s not psychic.If you want to integrate an external API, you need to give it the full picture — including the API documentation. That means you go to the API site, you copy the docs, and then you paste them directly into Bolt.new before prompting it.Let’s walk through a real example to show how this works.Step One: Choose an APIWe’ll use the Dog CEO API, which returns random dog images.Go to this URL in your browser: https://dog.ceo/dog-api/Look for the section titled “Random Image from All Dogs Collection”. You’ll see documentation like this:Endpoint:https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/randomMethod: GET Description: Returns a random dog image from the full collection of all dogs. Response Example:{ "message": "https://images.dog.ceo/breeds/hound-afghan/n02088094_1003.jpg", "status": "success"}Step Two: Paste the Docs into BoltInside your Bolt.new project, open the prompt bar. Before you write any prompt, paste the API documentation you just copied.You should paste the actual JSON response and include the endpoint link. Bolt needs to “see” what the API returns in order to use it.It should look like this:API: Dog CEO – Random Dog ImageEndpoint: https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/randomMethod: GETResponse:{ "message": "https://images.dog.ceo/breeds/hound-afghan/n02088094_1003.jpg", "status": "success"}Step Three: Prompt Bolt to Use the APINow, right after the docs, give Bolt a plain-language instructiBuild a new page that shows a random dog photo using the API above. Add a “Show Another Dog” button that fetches a new image when clicked.That’s it. Bolt will read the documentation, understand the endpoint and the response, and wire up everything automatically — from the API call to the display logic and even the layout.Here is another API:That’s the PatternPick an APICopy the docs and example responsePaste them into Bolt.newFollow it with a clear, simple prompt describing the feature you wantThis one technique unlocks all API-based functionality in Bolt. Whether you’re building dashboards, forms, trivia games, or dog browsers, this is how you give the AI what it needs to work.You bring the data. Bolt builds the app.Here are some free APIs to try:Here’s a list of free APIs you can use or call for various purposes. These APIs are either completely free or offer a generous free tier, making them accessible for testing, learning, or building projects. I’ve included a brief description of what each one does:1. JSON Placeholder — Provides fake JSON data for testing, such as users, posts, and comments. Great for prototyping. — Endpoint example: `https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts`2. OpenWeatherMap — Offers current weather data and forecasts for locations worldwide. Free tier includes 60 calls/minute and 1,000 calls/day. — Requires an API key (free signup).3. REST Countries — Provides information about countries, like name, capital, population, and currencies. No API key required. — Endpoint example: `https://restcountries.com/v3.1/all`4. PokeAPI — A comprehensive Pokémon API with data on Pokémon, moves, abilities, and more. Completely free, no key needed. — Endpoint example: `https://pokeapi.co/api/v2/pokemon/ditto`5. Dog CEO’s Dog API — Returns random dog images or images by breed. Free and no authentication required. — Endpoint example: `https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random`6. Cat Facts — Delivers random cat facts. Simple, free, and no key needed. — Endpoint example: `https://catfact.ninja/fact`7. Bored API — Suggests random activities to combat boredom. Free and open, no key required. — Endpoint example: `https://www.boredapi.com/api/activity`8. Agify.io — Predicts a person’s age based on their name. Free for up to 1,000 requests/day, no key needed. — Endpoint example: `https://api.agify.io?name=john`9. Genderize.io — Predicts gender based on a name. Free for up to 1,000 requests/day, no key required. — Endpoint example: `https://api.genderize.io?name=john`10. Nationalize.io — Predicts nationality based on a name. Free for up to 1,000 requests/day, no key needed. — Endpoint example: `https://api.nationalize.io?name=john`11. Chuck Norris API — Returns random Chuck Norris jokes. Free and no authentication required. — Endpoint example: `https://api.chucknorris.io/jokes/random`12. IPify — Retrieves your current IP address. Free, no key needed, and simple to use. — Endpoint example: `https://api.ipify.org?format=json`13. Random User Generator — Generates random user data (names, emails, addresses, etc.). Free and no key required. — Endpoint example: `https://randomuser.me/api/`14. Advice Slip API — Provides random pieces of advice. Free and open, no key needed. — Endpoint example: `https://api.adviceslip.com/advice`15. Open Trivia Database — Supplies trivia questions across various categories. Free, no key required. — Endpoint example: `https://opentdb.com/api.php?amount=10`Notes:- Some APIs (like OpenWeatherMap) require a free API key, which you can get by signing up on their website. Most of the others listed here are completely open and don’t need any authentication.- Rate limits may apply, so check the documentation for each API if you plan to use it heavily.- These are great for learning, testing, or small projects. For production use, always review the terms of service.