Getting Started

From download to a running app with real Postgres in under 5 minutes.

Last updated: February 2026

Prerequisites

1. Download a template

Purchase a template or the complete collection, then download the ZIP. Each ZIP is a complete Next.js project.

unzip ai-saas-starter.zip
cd ai-saas-starter
pnpm install

2. Connect your database

Create a new Neon project and copy the connection string. Add it to your environment:

cp .env.example .env.local
# Edit .env.local and set DATABASE_URL to your Neon connection string

3. Run database setup

Every template ships with a single setup command that creates tables, applies RLS policies, and seeds data:

pnpm run db:setup

# Output:
# Connected to Neon
# schema.sql -- tables created
# seed.sql -- rows inserted
# RLS policies applied
# Ready

4. Start developing

pnpm dev
# Open http://localhost:3000

Your app is running with real Postgres data. Every chart, table, and list is populated.

Template structure

Every template follows the same structure:

/app          -- Next.js App Router pages and layouts
/components   -- React components (shadcn/ui + custom)
/lib          -- Utilities, database client, queries
/db
  schema.sql  -- Full Postgres schema with indexes
  seed.sql    -- Realistic seed data
  policies.sql -- Row-level security policies
.env.example  -- Environment variable template

Row-Level Security

Every template ships with RLS policies that ensure users can only access their own data. Policies are defined in db/policies.sql and applied automatically during db:setup.

Deploy to Vercel

Every template includes a Deploy to Vercel button that auto-configures environment variables:

  • Click "Deploy to Vercel" on any template card
  • Set your DATABASE_URL to your Neon connection string
  • Vercel handles the rest -- builds, edge functions, preview deploys on every branch

Customize in v0

Every template can be opened in v0 for AI-assisted customization. Edit components, tweak layouts, change colors, and iterate on the UI -- then export the changes back to your project.