Frequently Asked Questions

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General

What is StackAlchemist?

StackAlchemist is an AI-powered architecture synthesis engine. You describe a SaaS application in natural language (or define it via a visual entity wizard), and StackAlchemist generates a complete, compiled, production-ready codebase — guaranteed to build on first try.

Is it a no-code tool?

No. StackAlchemist generates real source code that you own and modify. It's a code generation tool, not a no-code platform. The output is standard .NET 10 and Next.js 16 — the same code an experienced developer would write by hand, just scaffolded automatically.

What stack does StackAlchemist generate?

V1 generates:

• Backend: .NET 10 minimal API with Dapper and PostgreSQL (one project, not a solution)
• Frontend: Next.js 16 (App Router, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS) with a typed API client
• Database: PostgreSQL migration with UUID keys and row-level security enabled
• Dev Environment: Docker Compose + a multi-stage Dockerfile

No authentication flow is generated — the Supabase client and env slots ship preinstalled, the wiring is yours. Additional stacks are planned for V2.

Do I need an account to try it?

Yes, for anything past reading. The marketing pages, this FAQ, and the docs are public, but both build modes are gated: /simple and /advanced redirect a signed-out visitor to sign-in, so the account comes before the schema wizard, not after it. Starting a build needs one too — including a free Spark build, which is limited to 5 per calendar month.

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Generation

How long does generation take?

• Simple schemas (3–5 entities): ~30 seconds
• Medium schemas (6–10 entities): ~60 seconds
• Complex schemas (10+ entities): ~90 seconds

You'll see real-time progress updates throughout.

What is the Compile Guarantee?

Every Boilerplate and Infrastructure package is run through the actual .NET and Next.js compilers before delivery:

1. dotnet restore and dotnet build --no-restore are executed against the .NET API
2. npm ci, npm run typecheck and next build are executed against the Next.js frontend
3. If either fails, the error output is fed back to the LLM and the failing files are regenerated
4. This retry loop runs up to 3 times
5. If the build is still failing after 3 attempts: a full refund is initiated automatically, no questions asked
6. On success the archive gets a build-report.json naming every command, its exit code, and the verdict per half — the same verdict your delivery page shows

This is a hard technical constraint in the delivery pipeline — not a marketing claim.

What happens if my generated code doesn't work?

If the code doesn't compile (build-time failure), you receive a full refund. If the code compiles but has a runtime bug, that's expected in any code — StackAlchemist guarantees compilation, not runtime correctness. Runtime issues are yours to debug and fix (it's your codebase).

Can I regenerate with a different description?

Each generation is a separate purchase. If you want to try a different schema, submit a new generation. Refining your prompt in Simple Mode or adjusting entities in Advanced Mode before purchase is encouraged.

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Pricing and Licensing

Is this a subscription?

No. Every tier is a one-time payment per generation. You pay once, you own the output forever.

Can I use the generated code in a commercial product?

Yes. The generated code has no licensing restrictions. Use it, sell it, scale it — it's yours.

What's the difference between the tiers?

See Tiers and Pricing for full details.

Do you offer refunds?

• Compile Guarantee failure: A full refund is initiated automatically the moment the 3rd retry fails — no request needed. It reaches your original payment method in 5–10 business days.
• Other refunds: Contact us within 24 hours of purchase if you have a legitimate issue.

Are there agency or volume discounts?

Contact us at stackalchemist.app to discuss pricing for agencies, teams, or high-volume use.

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The Output

Can I modify the generated code?

Yes. The generated code is standard .NET and Next.js. Modify it exactly as you would hand-written code.

Does the generated code use any proprietary libraries or SDKs?

No. The generated code uses entirely open-source, mainstream dependencies:

• .NET 10 / ASP.NET Core — MIT
• Dapper — Apache 2.0
• Next.js 16 — MIT
• Tailwind CSS — MIT
• Supabase JS — Apache 2.0

No StackAlchemist SDK or runtime dependency is injected into the generated code.

Can I deploy the generated code anywhere?

Yes. The Boilerplate tier generates a Docker Compose setup that runs on any machine with Docker. The Infrastructure tier includes AWS CDK for cloud deployment, but the application itself can run on any cloud or on-premise environment.

What database does it use?

PostgreSQL for the primary data store, reached with raw SQL via Dapper — not Entity Framework — so the database layer is lightweight and explicit. Supabase is the intended home for auth, real-time, and storage on top of that PostgreSQL: the client library and the env slots ship in the archive, but no auth code is generated for you.

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Technical

What AI model does StackAlchemist use?

The generation engine uses Claude 3.5 Sonnet for business logic injection. The structural scaffolding (file layout, class skeletons, import paths) is handled by deterministic Handlebars templates — not the LLM.

Does my data stay private?

Your schema and prompts are used solely to generate your architecture. They are not used to train any model. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

What is the "Swiss Cheese Method"?

The Swiss Cheese Method is our approach to reliable code generation:

• The cheese (structure) — Handlebars templates define the deterministic outer structure: file layout, class signatures, import paths
• The holes — The LLM fills in the business-specific parts: query implementations, domain validation logic, custom endpoint bodies

See The Swiss Cheese Method for a deep dive.

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Related Docs

• Getting Started →
• Tiers and Pricing →
• Troubleshooting →
• The Compile Guarantee (advanced) →