What is an MVP and how to build one

An MVP, or minimum viable product, is the simplest version of a product that already delivers value to its first users and lets you learn what they really need. Eric Ries, the author of the term, defines it as the version that allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort. In other words, an MVP is not a “half-baked product” but a learning tool.

Here's how Y Combinator approaches it. Michael Seibel, who headed YC, keeps repeating a simple idea: launch something imperfect, but launch it fast. The benchmark is a first version within a few weeks; if it needs more than a month, you're most likely building too much. He also advises holding on tightly to the problem and the customer while holding the solution loosely.

How to build an MVP step by step. First, talk to users and understand what problem you're solving. Then pick one main feature and drop everything else. Put together the simplest version, give it to your first users and watch how they use it.

Now for the most common question: what should you build it with, and in which programming language? There is no universal answer; it all depends on the type of product. If you're not a programmer, start with no-code. According to a review based on YC materials, Bubble suits a full-fledged web app or marketplace, Webflow a website or landing page, and Glide and Softr internal tools. If you have a developer, choose the language your team knows best: for a web product, that's usually JavaScript or Python. The main thing is that your choice doesn't slow down the launch.

And remember that an MVP doesn't have to be software. Take Dropbox. It was hard to explain how file syncing works, so instead of building the whole product right away, Drew Houston recorded a short demo video and showed it to a technical audience. The waiting list grew from 5,000 to 75,000 people overnight. That's how he tested demand before the product was even ready.

Sources:

1. Y Combinator Startup Library — How to Build an MVP (Michael Seibel)
2. Y Combinator, lecture summary — How to Plan an MVP
3. Eric Ries — TechCrunch, Dropbox and the MVP
4. Choosing no-code tools — Echai Ventures
5. Ries's definition of an MVP — YourStory