How I Built a Website with GPT-4.0: A Journey from Novice to Creator

Embracing the Era of Micro Education

A Personal Prelude to AI-Powered Learning

In my previous article discussing the transformative impact of generative AI on education, I envisioned an era that I termed “Micro Education” — a future where each individual can learn quickly and flexibly. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a journey that perfectly encapsulated this concept.

The Challenge: Diving into Web Design as a Novice

Faced with the need to design multiple website versions for my doctoral research on web user experience, I found myself at a crossroads. My limited exposure to front-end web design, confined to a brief encounter with HTML a decade ago, made me anxious about my ability to handle this project. However, the timely arrival of GPT-4.0 with its multimodal interaction features presented an opportunity I couldn’t resist.

Tools of Transformation

My foray into web design was supported by a suite of tools, each playing a vital role in the journey from concept to reality.

• Figma: This interface design tool was my digital canvas, turning abstract ideas into visual prototypes.
• GPT 4.0: Beyond transforming prototypes into code, it served as a wise oracle, answering my toughest questions.
• Visual Studio Code: The crucible where my code came to life.
• GitHub Copilot: This coding companion helped navigate through the complexities of programming.
• Netlify: The launchpad that brought my website into the world.

The Process: From Figma Sketches to Functional Website

I began with Figma, crafting the basic layout of the website. As the design took shape, GPT-4.0 and GitHub Copilot were my steadfast allies, assisting me in overcoming coding challenges and layout dilemmas.

A Practical Demonstration

Despite GPT-4.0’s prowess, its ability to replicate complex designs had limitations. So, I broke down the designs into manageable segments for GPT-4.0 to process. Let me walk you through how I achieved a webpage banner scrolling effect, without writing a single line of code:

• Figma Prototype: Here, I laid out the banner’s dimensions and color scheme.

• GPT 4.0 Conversion: Uploading the image to GPT-4.0, I added descriptions and parameters. GPT-4.0 provided not just the code but the file.

• Testing in Visual Studio Code: Bringing the code to life, I tested it in Visual Studio Code, tweaking it to perfection.

• Final Touches with GitHub Copilot: When GPT-4.0’s output needed refinement, GitHub Copilot was there to fill in the gaps, effortlessly adding elements like icons.

The result? A simple yet elegant webpage banner, created with minimal coding and a lot of intelligent Q&A.

Overcoming Challenges with AI

What amazed me the most was GPT-4.0’s ability to generate responsive code for different screen sizes, streamlining what is usually a tedious aspect of front-end design. For more complex effects like carousels and animations, it suggested ready-made components and provided guidance on implementation.

Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Web Development

This project opened my eyes to the immense potential of AI tools like GPT-4.0 in web development. They lower the barrier to entry, making it possible for beginners to quickly start and learn from existing knowledge bases. This is the essence of Micro Education — rapid, flexible learning and adaptation.

In Conclusion: A New Dawn of Learning and Creation

Through this web development journey, I not only built my first website from scratch but also experienced firsthand how AI empowers us to learn and adapt swiftly. This is the heart of Micro Education: in a world that’s changing rapidly, we can and should bravely explore new fields, continually learning and evolving. And as a testament to AI’s creative prowess, the logo for my website and the cover for this article were both AI-generated!

Stay tuned for my next piece, where I’ll delve into the potential pitfalls of AI, balancing this narrative with a critical eye.