I Reverse-Engineered a $24M App and Rebuilt It with AI

Introduction: The Million Dollar App Challenge

Windsurf Rules I used in the video:

• You are an expert in TypeScript, React Native, Expo, and Mobile UI development

Can you really steal a million-dollar app idea using AI? Today, we're going to find out.

We'll be rebuilding an app that generates $24 million yearly by letting users track calories with food photos. The surprising part? It wasn't built by a massive team, but by teenagers still in school.

The Game Plan

1. Create Project context using Braindumper
2. Build the app with AI using Windsurf and MCP
3. Deploy to the App Store

Step 1: Project Setup with Braindumper

First, head to braindumper.ai and choose Windsurf. This tool helps create the project context, making it easier to build the app.

What You Need to Do

• Use Braindumper to generate your project plan (5 free generations/month)
• Download Node.js for NPM and NPX commands
• Use Mobbin to copy professional UI designs

Step 2: Building the App with Windsurf

With our project context ready, it's time to build. Here's the process:

• Create a new project:

  BashCopy
  npx create-expo-app@latest -e with-router
  

• Install required packages (camera, image picker, notifications)
• Set up the app structure (onboarding, auth, home, components)
• Add Supabase for backend and authentication
• Implement Google Cloud Vision API for food recognition

Step 3: Using Mobbin for UI Design

Mobbin is our secret weapon for stealing professional UI. It's a massive library of successful mobile apps, screen by screen.

We took inspiration from:

• Lifesum
• MyFitnessPal
• MacroFactor

And copied entire flows into Figma for a polished UI.

Step 4: Setting Up Figma Integration

To integrate Figma projects in Windsurf, follow these steps:

1. Go to Windsurf → Advanced Settings → Cascade → MCP → Click "Add server"

2. In Figma:

   1. Click logo top left → Help & Account → Account Settings
   2. Go to Security and generate a Personal Access Token
   3. Paste this token in Windsurf

3. Copy the Figma project URL from your browser and paste it in Cascade

4. Prompt: "Use these screenshots as UI inspiration"

💡 Windsurf now has access to ALL the screenshots in your Figma file.

Step 5: Deploying to App Store

Deployment is surprisingly straightforward:

Option 1: Full Command Flow

BashCopy
npm i -g eas-cli
eas init
eas login
eas build --platform ios
eas submit --platform ios

Option 2: One-Liner

BashCopy
npx testflight

Once approved, share your TestFlight with friends.

Final Thoughts: The Power of MVP

We built a calorie counter app in under an hour that looks as polished as many apps on the App Store.

But here's the real insight: Cal AI's success wasn't just tech—it was marketing.

They started as a simple ChatGPT wrapper and scaled into a multimillion-dollar business.

With today's AI tools, you can launch an MVP faster than ever. The question is: what will you build?