Build vs buy
Build a first-run checklist yourself vs buy Bootstrapware
AI coding agents can scaffold a checklist component quickly. The expensive part is the contract: dual user/workspace scope, pinned revision, stale generations, facts, eligibility presentation, and when flow_completed fires.
What building actually includes
- Progress API with personal and workspace generations and 409 stale responses
- Fact reconciliation without duplicate completion events
- Eligibility that is presentation-only and never overrides stored progress
- Draft/publish flow config with preview that never writes progress
- Hosted cancel: freeze writes, 30-day export, then delete
- Agent docs so the next integration does not invent keys or send host context through MCP
What buying Bootstrapware includes
- React widget with dependencies, dismiss, and snooze, see features
- Local adapter free forever for demos
- BYO adapter path ($9.99) so progress stays on your Postgres
- Hosted store ($19.99) with dashboard export and id-only webhooks
- MCP flow config for Cursor. Never host context
Prototype vs production checklist
An afternoon UI proves the interaction. Production means you own the edge cases forever, or you buy a widget that already does.
| Capability | Afternoon prototype | Production implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Complete a step | Toggle localStorage | Pinned revision, dual generations, 409 stale |
| Shared vs personal | One list for everyone | progressScope user | workspace in one flow |
| Identity / forgery | Trust the client | Host session + optional signed authorToken |
| Facts | Hide the row if billed | Reconcile on mount without double-firing flow_completed |
| Eligibility | if (role === admin) | Presentation-only; stored progress still wins |
| Dismiss / snooze | Hide the component | Dismiss ≠ 100%; snooze without stealing focus |
| Notifications | Fire-and-forget fetch | Signed webhooks, retries, ids only (Hosted) or onEvent (BYO) |
| Config upgrades | Ship a new array | Draft, publish, restore; preview never writes |
| Storage ownership | Whatever is handy | BYO on your Postgres vs Hosted with export/retention |
| Upgrades | Ship once | You own bugs, abuse, and migrations forever |
Cost framing
| Cost | Build | Buy Bootstrapware |
|---|---|---|
| First working UI | Hours with an agent | Minutes to embed |
| Ongoing ownership | You | Widget + optional Hosted store |
| Cash price | Engineering time | Free / $9.99 / $19.99 |
When to build anyway
Build if your checklist is tightly coupled to proprietary workflow engines you already operate, or if you need tours and analytics (buy Userflow/Appcues instead). Buy if you want the boring embed shipped with typed docs and MCP config.
FAQ
Can I build a setup checklist in a weekend?
A todo list UI, yes. Production dual-scope progress with pinned revision, 409 stale handling, fact reconciliation, and completion semantics takes longer.
Why isn't an AI-generated checklist enough?
A list of checkboxes is cheap. Stable host identity, mixed user/workspace scope, facts that do not double-fire completion, and published flow config are a product surface you maintain.
What does Bootstrapware save?
Published flow config, adapter contract, Hosted progress store, MCP flow tools, and docs agents can follow. Free local/demo, BYO $9.99 / month, Hosted $19.99 / month, plus stack discounts.
Related: AI coding agents · Pricing · AGENTS.md · vs Userflow