So, Marc Lou has launched a new course how to ship your product fast You can buy Code Fast here.
So, you’ve heard the buzz about CodeFast, the course promising to teach you to code “in weeks, not months,” and maybe even seen Conor Martin AI (the YouTuber behind this review) flaunting over $500 in earnings thanks to it. As someone who started with “almost zero coding ability,” that’s a pretty compelling hook.
But I’m not just here to sing praises. He’s got a “huge” insight to share, especially for anyone considering CodeFast in today’s rapidly evolving, AI-driven tech landscape. And that’s what we’re diving into: a look at CodeFast through the lens of modern AI coding, complete with its pros and cons.
The “Huge Thing”: AI Has Reshaped the Coding Landscape
Conor emphasizes that CodeFast was launched before the recent explosion of powerful AI coding tools. This is crucial. While CodeFast aims to get you building and shipping fast (a philosophy Conor still champions), the way you can build and ship has been supercharged by AI.
This doesn’t make CodeFast obsolete, but it does change how you might use it.
My Evolved AI-Augmented Coding Process
Initially, Conor’s approach, inspired by CodeFast, was “just do things” – learn by building. But with AI, his process has become more strategic:
Plan with AI: Ask ChatGPT (or similar AI) to help plan your project, even generating a Product Requirements Document (PRD).
Implement with AI Tools: Use tools like Bolt.new or Winden.ai to build out features. These tools handle a lot of the boilerplate and initial setup.
Use CodeFast as a Reference: When AI stumbles, or when you need to understand a core concept (like Stripe integration, database schemas, or why the AI made a certain choice), CodeFast becomes an invaluable, structured resource to fill those knowledge gaps.
Iterate and Learn: When you hit errors with AI-generated code, copy-paste it into ChatGPT and ask for explanations or fixes. This contextual learning is powerful.
Essentially, AI gets you 80-90% of the way, and CodeFast (along with practical experience) helps bridge the remaining gap and deepens understanding.
CodeFast Review: Pros and Cons
With that AI-centric context, let’s break down my take on CodeFast:
Pros of CodeFast:
Mark (the Creator) is Inspiring: Mark Lou, the creator of CodeFast, embodies the “code like an entrepreneur” spirit. He focuses on building real-world projects to get feedback and make money, not just acing coding interviews. This practical, results-oriented approach is highly motivating.
The Course Platform Itself: Conor was so impressed that Mark built the entire CodeFast platform himself that it inspired him to create his own course platform (for Bolt.new). Seeing the instructor “dogfood” his own teachings is a powerful motivator.
Excellent Support & Community: CodeFast has a dedicated Discord community. Mark actively listens to feedback and has even hired someone full-time to provide support, ensuring students aren’t left stranded. This sense of community and responsiveness is a big plus.
Short, Engaging Lessons: The lessons are broken down into manageable, bite-sized chunks. This makes it easier to feel a sense of progress and stay engaged, rather than being overwhelmed by lengthy modules.
Focus on Entrepreneurial Coding: As mentioned, the course is geared towards building and launching projects that can generate income, which is a unique and appealing angle for many.
Cons of CodeFast (in the Age of AI):
Not Enough AI Content (Yet): Given that CodeFast was developed before the current AI coding assistants became mainstream, it naturally doesn’t heavily feature AI in its core curriculum. Conor feels AI needs to be “first” in modern coding education. While there’s a section on AI, it could be more integrated.
Tech Stack Choices: CodeFast uses technologies like MongoDB. While solid, many newer AI-driven tools and beginner-friendly stacks are leaning towards alternatives like Supabase. This means you might still need to seek external tutorials for specific tech integrations if you’re heavily using AI tools that prefer a different stack.
One Person’s Perspective: While Mark’s knowledge is extensive, the course primarily reflects his brain and approach. Sometimes, having multiple instructors or diverse perspectives on a topic can be beneficial, though this is a minor point given the strength of his single vision.
The “Plumbing” and Initial Setup: This is a nuanced con. CodeFast does teach you how to set up your development environment (IDEs, folders, etc.), which is crucial fundamental knowledge. However, for absolute beginners eager to just build quickly, AI tools like Bolt.new or Winden.ai can abstract away much of this initial “plumbing.” So, if you’re coming from an AI-first mindset where setup is often handled for you, some of CodeFast’s initial setup lessons might feel a bit more manual or less immediately relevant than jumping straight into an AI-assisted build.
Who is CodeFast For?
Based on Conor’s experience, CodeFast is still incredibly valuable, especially if you:
Are serious about learning to code to build and launch your own online projects and make money.
Want a strong foundational understanding of coding concepts that AI tools might gloss over.
Appreciate an entrepreneurial, “ship fast” mindset.
Plan to use it as a structured reference library to complement AI coding tools.
Value an inspiring instructor and a supportive community.
It’s perhaps less ideal if you’re solely looking for the absolute quickest, AI-only path to cobbling something together without understanding the underlying principles, or if you expect a course to be entirely AI-focused from day one.
Final Thoughts
Conor’s journey with CodeFast, earning over $500 and launching seven websites while only 27% through the course, is a testament to its practical approach. However, his key takeaway is that AI has fundamentally changed the learning and development process.
CodeFast, in his view, remains a fantastic resource, but its best use in 2024 and beyond is likely as a powerful complement to AI coding tools. It can provide the “why” behind the “what” that AI generates, and fill in the gaps where AI falls short.
If you’re ready to “code like an entrepreneur” and build real-world projects, CodeFast, combined with a smart AI strategy, could be a winning combination.
More About the Course
CodeFast a course designed to help you build and launch your own SaaS business in 14 days, even if you’re starting from scratch.
Why Traditional Coding Courses Fall Short for Entrepreneurs
Most coding courses are tailored for aspiring software engineers, focusing on complex algorithms and in-depth theories that might not be immediately applicable for entrepreneurs. They often delve into topics like:
- Inverting binary trees
- Mastering numerous sorting algorithms
- Navigating extensive documentation
- Writing intricate code when a simple AI prompt could suffice
While these skills are valuable for coding professionals, they can be overwhelming and unnecessary for entrepreneurs whose primary goal is to bring a product to market swiftly.
The CodeFast Approach: Coding for Entrepreneurs
CodeFast takes a different route, focusing on:
- Teaching only the essential coding fundamentals
- Leveraging AI to assist in coding
- Encouraging continuous learning through practical application
Instead of spending countless hours on basic tutorials, CodeFast emphasizes a learn-build-launch cycle:
- Learn what you need
- Build features
- Launch your product
- Gather feedback
This approach creates a learning flywheel, enabling you to launch your product in 14 days, receive real-world feedback, and continue learning as you progress.
Course Breakdown: From Zero to SaaS in 12 Hours of Video
CodeFast offers a comprehensive curriculum divided into three main sections:
- The Mindset (15 minutes)
- Adopting an entrepreneurial approach to coding
- Strategies for rapid product shipping
- Monetizing your coding skills
- Finding motivation to build
- The Fundamentals (1 hour 15 minutes)
- Understanding how the internet works (HTTP, domain names)
- Basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Your First SaaS (10 hours 26 minutes)
- Frontend Development: Building a Next.js application, creating React components, designing with Tailwind CSS, and more
- Backend & Authentication: Implementing magic link authentication, Google OAuth login, setting up a MongoDB database, and more
- Business & Deployment: Setting up Stripe or LemonSqueezy subscriptions, managing emails, domain names, DNS, and server hosting
- Developer Tools & Skills: Utilizing AI-powered coding and design, understanding Git & GitHub, Node.js, security best practices, and more
Meet Your Instructor: Marc Lou
Marc Lou, the creator of CodeFast, has a unique journey. After facing challenges with traditional education methods, he taught himself to code by building small apps, eventually earning over $200,000 with his SaaS ventures. Recognizing the inefficiencies in conventional coding courses, Marc developed CodeFast to provide:
- Concise lessons
- Practical, fluff-free content
- Real-world business-building experience
The course was refined over nine months with input from 50 beta students, some of whom made money with their first app.
Success Stories
CodeFast has empowered entrepreneurs like Jainil, who built confettisaas.pro and epicaitravelphotos.pro, and Adsy, who created indielaunch.ch and mrrbanner.com. These success stories highlight the course’s effectiveness in helping individuals turn ideas into profitable online businesses.
Is CodeFast Right for You?
If you’re eager to:
- Learn coding essentials without unnecessary complexity
- Utilize AI to expedite your development process
- Launch a SaaS product quickly
- Engage in continuous, hands-on learning
Then CodeFast is designed for you. However, if you prefer extensive theoretical content and prolonged study periods, this course might not align with your learning style.
In summary, CodeFast offers a streamlined, practical approach to building and launching a SaaS product in just 14 days, making it an ideal choice for aspiring entrepreneurs ready to bring their ideas to life.