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Capstone Planner

One real project, built backwards. Define what done means, ship small milestones, and learn only what the next milestone needs.

Field guide → Read: Product-Based Learning →
New to this? How it works

This tool puts the Product-Based Learning blueprint into practice. One concrete project drives what you learn, instead of courses deciding it for you. Three rules keep it honest:

  1. One capstone. A single project, a checklist of what "done" means, and at least one real-world constraint.
  2. No orphan theory. You can only add something to learn by attaching it to the milestone it unblocks. There is no "study later" list.
  3. Input must equal output. Each thing you learn is closed by saying where you used it. Learning you never used shows up as theory debt.

Your plan is saved in this browser only. Use Export backup at the bottom to keep a copy or move it to another device.

Don't have a project yet? Get three briefs from your AI

Describe what you want to learn. The tool writes a prompt for the AI assistant you already use. It asks for three realistic project briefs in a format you can paste straight back here.

1. Define the capstone

one project

What will exist when you're done, how anyone can check it, and what real-world limits it has to work within.

Done means… checkable by someone else, not "I understand X"
    Real-world constraints real data, a real user, a device, a budget, a deadline

      Just exploring?

      2. Build in milestones

      max 2 per sprint

      Each milestone is a small slice that works end to end, something you could demo, not "set up the database". Attach what you need to learn to the milestone that needs it.

      Finish step 1 first: a one-sentence capstone, at least one "done means" item, and at least one real constraint.

      3. Show the work

      README.md

      A ready-to-publish README for your project's GitHub page: the goal, the constraints, every milestone with its proof, and what you learned and where you used it.

      Saved in this browser only.

      Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Deliberate Learners.