Vibecode MagicSlides
track this build5 steps, step by step0%An LLM that turns a topic or URL into an outline and renders a PPTX/PDF is a weekend build. What MagicSlides actually sells is the template library, the export fidelity, and the distribution: a Google Slides add-on and a browser extension already installed by millions. You can rebuild the core loop; you can't rebuild the polish or the install base overnight.
You are building a lean indie version of MagicSlides. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # MagicSlides indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core MagicSlides workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Prompt an LLM for a slide outline from a topic, article URL or YouTube transcript, map it to a template, and export a PPTX and PDF. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - 70+ polished templates and design presets - one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension - reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity - hosted sharing and no-watermark output - team and API tiers If those capabilities are essential, use Slidev instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build me an AI presentation generator to replace MagicSlides, in an empty repo. Stack (no alternatives): a Node.js + TypeScript CLI. Use pptxgenjs for PPTX output and LibreOffice headless (soffice --headless --convert-to pdf) for the PDF. Do not build a web app. Core loop: - `deck new "<topic>"` OR `deck new --url <article-url>` OR `deck new --yt <youtube-url>`. - For --url, fetch and strip the page to text; for --yt, pull the transcript via the youtube-transcript package; for a bare topic, skip fetching. - Send that text to an LLM (key in .env) and ask for structured JSON: a deck title, then per slide a title, 3-5 bullets, and speaker notes. - Render the JSON with pptxgenjs using one of five layouts: title, bullets, two-column, section-break, quote. - Write ./decks/<slug>/deck.pptx, deck.pdf, and the raw slides.json. Details: - One theme file (fonts, colors, logo) so every deck is consistent; no per-deck design. - `deck redo <n>` regenerates a single slide by number, leaving the rest untouched. - Decks are plain files on disk, git-friendly and hand-editable. No database. - Secrets (LLM key, optional image API key) live in .env; ship .env.example. - No accounts, no telemetry; the only network calls are the LLM, the optional image API, and the URL/YouTube fetch. - Out of scope: a web editor, a Google Slides add-on, a browser extension, hosted share links, collaboration. Editing the PPTX in Keynote/PowerPoint is the editor. - README: keys, the three input modes, export commands, and how to add a layout. ## Required capabilities - LLM API key - a slide/PPTX renderer - a template system - optional image API key - optional YouTube transcript fetch ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a lean indie version of MagicSlides. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # MagicSlides indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core MagicSlides workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Prompt an LLM for a slide outline from a topic, article URL or YouTube transcript, map it to a template, and export a PPTX and PDF. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - 70+ polished templates and design presets - one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension - reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity - hosted sharing and no-watermark output - team and API tiers If those capabilities are essential, use Slidev instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build me an AI presentation generator to replace MagicSlides, in an empty repo. Stack (no alternatives): a Node.js + TypeScript CLI. Use pptxgenjs for PPTX output and LibreOffice headless (soffice --headless --convert-to pdf) for the PDF. Do not build a web app. Core loop: - `deck new "<topic>"` OR `deck new --url <article-url>` OR `deck new --yt <youtube-url>`. - For --url, fetch and strip the page to text; for --yt, pull the transcript via the youtube-transcript package; for a bare topic, skip fetching. - Send that text to an LLM (key in .env) and ask for structured JSON: a deck title, then per slide a title, 3-5 bullets, and speaker notes. - Render the JSON with pptxgenjs using one of five layouts: title, bullets, two-column, section-break, quote. - Write ./decks/<slug>/deck.pptx, deck.pdf, and the raw slides.json. Details: - One theme file (fonts, colors, logo) so every deck is consistent; no per-deck design. - `deck redo <n>` regenerates a single slide by number, leaving the rest untouched. - Decks are plain files on disk, git-friendly and hand-editable. No database. - Secrets (LLM key, optional image API key) live in .env; ship .env.example. - No accounts, no telemetry; the only network calls are the LLM, the optional image API, and the URL/YouTube fetch. - Out of scope: a web editor, a Google Slides add-on, a browser extension, hosted share links, collaboration. Editing the PPTX in Keynote/PowerPoint is the editor. - README: keys, the three input modes, export commands, and how to add a layout. ## Required capabilities - LLM API key - a slide/PPTX renderer - a template system - optional image API key - optional YouTube transcript fetch ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a production product version of MagicSlides. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== PRODUCT.md ===== # MagicSlides product brief ## Problem An LLM that turns a topic or URL into an outline and renders a PPTX/PDF is a weekend build. What MagicSlides actually sells is the template library, the export fidelity, and the distribution: a Google Slides add-on and a browser extension already installed by millions. You can rebuild the core loop; you can't rebuild the polish or the install base overnight. ## Product outcome Prompt an LLM for a slide outline from a topic, article URL or YouTube transcript, map it to a template, and export a PPTX and PDF. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - LLM API key - a slide/PPTX renderer - a template system - optional image API key - optional YouTube transcript fetch ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - 70+ polished templates and design presets - one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension - reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity - hosted sharing and no-watermark output - team and API tiers ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees. ===== ARCHITECTURE.md ===== # Architecture ## Starting brief Build me an AI presentation generator to replace MagicSlides, in an empty repo. Stack (no alternatives): a Node.js + TypeScript CLI. Use pptxgenjs for PPTX output and LibreOffice headless (soffice --headless --convert-to pdf) for the PDF. Do not build a web app. Core loop: - `deck new "<topic>"` OR `deck new --url <article-url>` OR `deck new --yt <youtube-url>`. - For --url, fetch and strip the page to text; for --yt, pull the transcript via the youtube-transcript package; for a bare topic, skip fetching. - Send that text to an LLM (key in .env) and ask for structured JSON: a deck title, then per slide a title, 3-5 bullets, and speaker notes. - Render the JSON with pptxgenjs using one of five layouts: title, bullets, two-column, section-break, quote. - Write ./decks/<slug>/deck.pptx, deck.pdf, and the raw slides.json. Details: - One theme file (fonts, colors, logo) so every deck is consistent; no per-deck design. - `deck redo <n>` regenerates a single slide by number, leaving the rest untouched. - Decks are plain files on disk, git-friendly and hand-editable. No database. - Secrets (LLM key, optional image API key) live in .env; ship .env.example. - No accounts, no telemetry; the only network calls are the LLM, the optional image API, and the URL/YouTube fetch. - Out of scope: a web editor, a Google Slides add-on, a browser extension, hosted share links, collaboration. Editing the PPTX in Keynote/PowerPoint is the editor. - README: keys, the three input modes, export commands, and how to add a layout. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone. ===== MILESTONES.md ===== # Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations. ===== OPERATIONS.md ===== # Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted MagicSlides capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
# MagicSlides indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core MagicSlides workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Prompt an LLM for a slide outline from a topic, article URL or YouTube transcript, map it to a template, and export a PPTX and PDF. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - 70+ polished templates and design presets - one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension - reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity - hosted sharing and no-watermark output - team and API tiers If those capabilities are essential, use Slidev instead of pretending the gap is solved.
# Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs".
# Build plan ## Original build brief Build me an AI presentation generator to replace MagicSlides, in an empty repo. Stack (no alternatives): a Node.js + TypeScript CLI. Use pptxgenjs for PPTX output and LibreOffice headless (soffice --headless --convert-to pdf) for the PDF. Do not build a web app. Core loop: - `deck new "<topic>"` OR `deck new --url <article-url>` OR `deck new --yt <youtube-url>`. - For --url, fetch and strip the page to text; for --yt, pull the transcript via the youtube-transcript package; for a bare topic, skip fetching. - Send that text to an LLM (key in .env) and ask for structured JSON: a deck title, then per slide a title, 3-5 bullets, and speaker notes. - Render the JSON with pptxgenjs using one of five layouts: title, bullets, two-column, section-break, quote. - Write ./decks/<slug>/deck.pptx, deck.pdf, and the raw slides.json. Details: - One theme file (fonts, colors, logo) so every deck is consistent; no per-deck design. - `deck redo <n>` regenerates a single slide by number, leaving the rest untouched. - Decks are plain files on disk, git-friendly and hand-editable. No database. - Secrets (LLM key, optional image API key) live in .env; ship .env.example. - No accounts, no telemetry; the only network calls are the LLM, the optional image API, and the URL/YouTube fetch. - Out of scope: a web editor, a Google Slides add-on, a browser extension, hosted share links, collaboration. Editing the PPTX in Keynote/PowerPoint is the editor. - README: keys, the three input modes, export commands, and how to add a layout. ## Required capabilities - LLM API key - a slide/PPTX renderer - a template system - optional image API key - optional YouTube transcript fetch ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden.
# Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
# MagicSlides product brief ## Problem An LLM that turns a topic or URL into an outline and renders a PPTX/PDF is a weekend build. What MagicSlides actually sells is the template library, the export fidelity, and the distribution: a Google Slides add-on and a browser extension already installed by millions. You can rebuild the core loop; you can't rebuild the polish or the install base overnight. ## Product outcome Prompt an LLM for a slide outline from a topic, article URL or YouTube transcript, map it to a template, and export a PPTX and PDF. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - LLM API key - a slide/PPTX renderer - a template system - optional image API key - optional YouTube transcript fetch ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - 70+ polished templates and design presets - one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension - reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity - hosted sharing and no-watermark output - team and API tiers ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees.
# Architecture ## Starting brief Build me an AI presentation generator to replace MagicSlides, in an empty repo. Stack (no alternatives): a Node.js + TypeScript CLI. Use pptxgenjs for PPTX output and LibreOffice headless (soffice --headless --convert-to pdf) for the PDF. Do not build a web app. Core loop: - `deck new "<topic>"` OR `deck new --url <article-url>` OR `deck new --yt <youtube-url>`. - For --url, fetch and strip the page to text; for --yt, pull the transcript via the youtube-transcript package; for a bare topic, skip fetching. - Send that text to an LLM (key in .env) and ask for structured JSON: a deck title, then per slide a title, 3-5 bullets, and speaker notes. - Render the JSON with pptxgenjs using one of five layouts: title, bullets, two-column, section-break, quote. - Write ./decks/<slug>/deck.pptx, deck.pdf, and the raw slides.json. Details: - One theme file (fonts, colors, logo) so every deck is consistent; no per-deck design. - `deck redo <n>` regenerates a single slide by number, leaving the rest untouched. - Decks are plain files on disk, git-friendly and hand-editable. No database. - Secrets (LLM key, optional image API key) live in .env; ship .env.example. - No accounts, no telemetry; the only network calls are the LLM, the optional image API, and the URL/YouTube fetch. - Out of scope: a web editor, a Google Slides add-on, a browser extension, hosted share links, collaboration. Editing the PPTX in Keynote/PowerPoint is the editor. - README: keys, the three input modes, export commands, and how to add a layout. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it.
# Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone.
# Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations.
# Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted MagicSlides capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
$ choose a build depth, inspect the files, then open the complete pack in your agent
People pay because it drops into Google Slides and their browser where they already work, and the output looks presentable without opening PowerPoint. The AI is commodity; the template quality and the frictionless install are what they are actually buying.
x70+ polished templates and design presets
xone-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension
xreliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity
xhosted sharing and no-watermark output
xteam and API tiers
MagicSlides pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| premium | $29/user | — | $29 of model credits/month; 70+ templates; 150+ design systems; decks of 50+ slides. |
| premium plus | $34/user | — | $34 of model credits/month; 70+ templates; 150+ design systems; decks of 50+ slides; face-image and HTML Studio features. |
| team & enterprise | custom | — | Invoice billing and centralized purchasing; numeric credit, seat and usage caps are not published. |
| done by us | custom | — | 1 presentation delivered in 48–72 hours. |
free tierno permanent free tier verified
billingmonthly + annual for Premium tiers; annual advertised at 17% off; Done By Us is a one-time purchase
hidden costslicense is tied to one Google account; model-credit consumption can exceed the included monthly amount; API access is a separately priced product
verified 2026-08-13 · source ↗
Vibecode MagicSlides
Kinda. The core of MagicSlides is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: 70+ polished templates and design presets, one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does MagicSlides cost?
MagicSlides costs about $29/month (Premium, checked 2026-08-13), which is $348 per year.
What do I lose by replacing MagicSlides?
Honestly: 70+ polished templates and design presets; one-click Google Slides add-on and browser extension; reliable PPTX/PDF export fidelity; hosted sharing and no-watermark output; team and API tiers. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to MagicSlides?
Yes: Slidev (Open-source Markdown/HTML slide deck framework, a strong base for a generator), Marp (Markdown-to-slides ecosystem with PPTX/PDF export). Using prior art is also vibecoding; the prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.