> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://whip.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Whip builds your app with AI

> What happens when Whip builds your app: it names it, the AI plans and writes a real app while you watch, then packages it — usually in 30s to 2 minutes.

When you send a message, Whip names your app almost instantly, then its AI plans and writes a real, working app while you watch its thinking stream by. It adds an icon and description, and shows a **"Your Whip is Ready!"** card. Most builds take **30 seconds to 2 minutes** — ambitious ones take longer.

## What happens, step by step

<Steps>
  <Step title="You describe your idea" icon="message-circle">
    You type what you want in plain words and hit send. That's the only input
    the AI needs — no settings, no code. New to it? Try [prompt tips &
    ideas](/building/prompt-tips-and-ideas).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Whip names it right away" icon="tag">
    Before anything else finishes, Whip gives your app a name based on your
    description, so you see it taking shape immediately.
  </Step>

  <Step title="The AI plans and writes it" icon="brain">
    This is the fun part. The AI plans your app, then writes it out piece by
    piece — real code, though you never have to see or touch it. You watch its
    thinking and steps stream live as it works.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Finishing touches" icon="sparkles">
    Whip packages everything up and gives your app its own icon and a short
    description. These are refreshed for every version, so they always match
    what your app has become.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Your Whip is ready" icon="party-popper">
    The **"Your Whip is Ready!"** card appears. Tap it to open your app — it's
    real and working, buttons and all.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Things worth knowing while it builds

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="It can research the web" icon="globe">
    For ideas that need real facts or the right building blocks, the AI can
    research the web while building. It takes a one-time snapshot of what it
    finds and bakes it into your app — handy context, captured at build time.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Builds fix themselves" icon="refresh-cw">
    If something goes wrong mid-build, Whip quietly retries — **up to 3 times**
    — before you'd ever see an error. Most hiccups sort themselves out without
    you noticing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="You can walk away" icon="bell">
    You don't have to sit and watch. Leave the screen, browse [the
    feed](/discover/the-feed), do something else — Whip sends you a push
    notification the moment your app is ready.
  </Card>

  <Card title="You can stop anytime" icon="square">
    Change your mind halfway? Stop the build and Whip keeps the partial progress,
    so you can pick it back up with another message. Details in [build limits &
    failed builds](/building/build-limits-and-failed-builds).
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Really ambitious ideas can hit a ceiling mid-build. Whip doesn't fail — it
  keeps your progress and invites you to **send a message to continue building
  from where it left off**. It's a pause, not a dead end.
</Note>

## Behind the curtain

Curious what your app actually *is*? It's a real web app — the AI writes genuine code, and Whip hosts it and runs it right inside the Whip app on your phone. Your work is always saved, and every change you make becomes its own [version](/building/versions-and-history) you can revisit. You never manage servers, files, or code; you chat, and Whip handles the rest.

Once your app exists, you can keep shaping it by [editing it in chat](/building/edit-your-app), or discover the [full range of what apps can do](/building/what-apps-can-do) — from saving your data to holding their own AI chat.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How long does a build take?" icon="clock">
    Usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes. More ambitious apps take longer, and that's
    normal — you can leave and get notified when it's done.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I ever see the code?" icon="code">
    No. The AI writes real code behind the scenes, but you never have to see,
    edit, or understand it. You describe, it builds.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is the live info in my app always up to date?" icon="calendar">
    Anything the AI researched while building is a one-time snapshot baked in at
    that moment. If you want an app that pulls fresh data every time it opens,
    that's a different capability — see [what apps can
    do](/building/what-apps-can-do).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Edit your app" icon="pencil" href="/building/edit-your-app">
    Keep chatting to change the style, add features, or fix things.
  </Card>

  <Card title="What apps can do" icon="rocket" href="/building/what-apps-can-do">
    Saving data, AI chat, leaderboards, live info, and more.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>