Table of Contents
Overview
Ever tried to build something with AI and gotten stuck? You’re not alone. The initial results from AI tools often look promising, but then comes the challenging part: making meaningful changes, adding robust features, and building something truly functional. To build real solutions, you need to understand how they work fundamentally. This is where Solveit steps in—a revolutionary platform developed by Jeremy Howard (co-founder of fast.ai and Kaggle) and Eric Ries (author of The Lean Startup) at Answer.AI, designed to bridge the gap between AI potential and practical application through their innovative “Dialog Engineering” methodology.
Key Features
Solveit combines cutting-edge AI assistance with proven problem-solving methodologies, offering functionality designed to transform your development approach:
Dialog Engineering Framework: Experience a paradigm shift where AI acts as a Socratic partner, working collaboratively in small, deliberate steps rather than generating overwhelming blocks of code that you don’t understand.
Integrated Development Environment: Access a comprehensive platform that combines Jupyter notebook functionality, Monaco editor, persistent VPS environment, collaborative features, and terminal access in one seamless, cloud-based interface.
Educational Problem-Solving Approach: Master the “How to Solve it With Code” methodology through guided learning that emphasizes deep understanding over automation, building lasting comprehension alongside practical skills.
Live Application Development: Create and deploy functional web applications directly within the platform, with shareable URLs and persistent Linux environments for real-world testing and collaboration.
Advanced AI Tool Integration: Utilize sophisticated features including variable-to-AI context referencing, custom Python function AI tools, metaprogramming capabilities, and collaborative notebook coding with live updates.
Context-Aware Collaboration: Engage with AI that maintains full dialogue history and project context, enabling intelligent suggestions based on your entire development journey rather than isolated interactions.
How It Works
Solveit revolutionizes traditional development through its methodical “Dialog Engineering” approach, based on George Pólya’s classic problem-solving framework and decades of research from its founders. Rather than relying on AI to generate large code blocks, the platform encourages iterative collaboration between human insight and AI assistance that prioritizes understanding over speed.
The development process follows four key stages: Understand the Problem, Devise a Plan, Carry Out the Plan, and Look Back and Reflect. Users work within a persistent Linux VPS environment where all projects remain accessible across sessions, combining notebook-style exploration with traditional coding capabilities. The platform intentionally requires deliberate steps for certain actions—such as reviewing AI-generated code before execution—ensuring developers remain engaged and maintain control over their projects while building genuine understanding.
Use Cases
Solveit’s methodology proves valuable across diverse development and problem-solving scenarios:
Professional Software Development: Accelerate complex project development while maintaining code quality and developer comprehension, particularly effective for teams requiring both velocity and deep technical understanding.
Startup MVP Development: Rapidly prototype and iterate on product ideas with AI assistance that maintains founder understanding of technology stack and business logic, supporting sustainable growth.
Educational Programming: Provide students and professionals with guided AI assistance that teaches fundamental concepts rather than replacing learning, supported by comprehensive coursework from industry pioneers.
System Administration and DevOps: Manage infrastructure, deploy applications, and handle system administration tasks with AI guidance in controlled, persistent environments.
Research and Experimentation: Conduct systematic exploration of new technologies, APIs, and approaches with AI assistance that encourages methodical investigation over trial-and-error coding.
Cross-Functional Problem Solving: Apply Dialog Engineering principles beyond coding to business strategy, writing, analysis, and other domains requiring structured thinking and iterative refinement.
Advantages and Considerations
Strengths
Proven Methodology Foundation: Built on decades of research and practice from Eric Ries and Jeremy Howard, combining lean startup principles with advanced AI assistance techniques and Pólya’s problem-solving framework.
Maintains Developer Agency: Unlike tools that encourage passive AI dependence, Solveit keeps humans in control while providing powerful AI augmentation that builds understanding rather than replacing it.
Comprehensive Learning Integration: Offers structured coursework alongside practical development, ensuring users understand both implementation details and underlying principles.
Production-Ready Infrastructure: Provides persistent VPS environments suitable for real applications beyond prototyping, with proper deployment capabilities and collaborative features.
Established Community and Track Record: Access to active community, ongoing course content, and proven results from Answer.AI’s own development achievements using these exact techniques.
Limitations
Learning Curve Investment: The methodical approach requires adjustment for developers accustomed to rapid AI code generation, initially seeming slower than “vibe coding” alternatives.
Subscription-Based Access: Unlike free alternatives, Solveit requires paid access to both platform and course content, though this ensures dedicated infrastructure and ongoing development.
Methodology Commitment Required: Maximum benefit requires embracing the systematic Dialog Engineering approach rather than using it as a traditional AI coding assistant.
How Does It Compare?
Solveit occupies a unique position in the October 2025 AI development landscape, distinguished by its educational methodology and systematic problem-solving approach rather than pure code generation speed.
Versus AI Code Generators: Compared to Bolt.new, which excels at instant app generation, or Replit AI’s rapid prototyping capabilities, Solveit emphasizes methodical progress and deep comprehension. While tools like Bolt.new can generate complete applications in minutes, Solveit builds developer understanding alongside functional applications, creating sustainable long-term value.
Against AI-Enhanced IDEs: Unlike Cursor AI or Windsurf, which provide powerful in-editor assistance, Solveit offers structured guidance through proven problem-solving methodologies. Cursor excels at context-aware code completion within existing projects, but Solveit combines this capability with systematic learning and collaborative dialog management designed for human-AI partnership.
Compared to Cloud Development Platforms: Against v0’s UI generation focus or Lovable’s production-oriented approach, Solveit provides broader applicability beyond web development. While v0 creates beautiful interfaces and Lovable handles full-stack deployment, Solveit’s Dialog Engineering applies to system administration, research, business strategy, and any domain requiring structured problem-solving.
Educational vs. Pure Productivity Tools: Unlike Claude Artifacts or GitHub Copilot Workspace, which prioritize immediate productivity, Solveit balances speed with skill development. Claude Artifacts offers excellent interactive coding experiences, but Solveit’s educational integration ensures users build transferable expertise rather than tool dependency.
Methodology vs. Technology Focus: Most 2025 AI development tools compete on features, speed, or model capabilities. Solveit differentiates through its proven problem-solving methodology, combining Answer.AI’s research breakthroughs with practical application in a way that creates lasting developer capabilities rather than temporary productivity gains.
The platform represents a philosophical shift from automation-maximizing tools toward sustainable human-AI collaboration that builds both functional applications and lasting expertise.
Final Thoughts
Solveit represents a paradigm shift in AI-assisted development, moving beyond rapid code generation toward methodical, understanding-driven collaboration between humans and AI. Developed by industry luminaries Jeremy Howard (co-founder of fast.ai, Kaggle, and Fastmail) and Eric Ries (author of The Lean Startup), the platform combines time-tested problem-solving methodologies with cutting-edge AI capabilities.
With over 1,000 preview users and more than a year of refinement, Solveit has evolved from experimental tool to production-ready platform that Answer.AI uses for their own groundbreaking research and development. While requiring greater initial investment in learning the Dialog Engineering approach, the platform delivers sustainable development practices, deeper technical understanding, and production-ready applications.
Solveit particularly excels for developers, teams, and organizations seeking to harness AI assistance without sacrificing code quality, project comprehension, or long-term skill development. For those committed to building both functional applications and lasting expertise in AI-augmented development, Solveit offers a compelling alternative to purely automation-focused tools in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-assisted software development.