Create apps with AI
You don’t have to write code to make a JS app for BUSY Bar. An AI coding agent can create the app, build it, and install it on your BUSY Bar. You describe what you want in plain words and tell the agent what to change.
What you’ll need
- BUSY Bar with firmware 1.3.1 or later
- A computer and a USB cable
- An AI coding agent that can run commands on your computer (for example, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or GitHub Copilot in agent mode)
To create a JS app for your BUSY Bar:
Connect BUSY Bar to your computer via USB. Open http://10.0.4.20 in a browser to check the connection.
Create an empty folder and open your AI agent in it.
Copy the prompt below, describe your app in the second line, and send it:
Read https://go.busy.app/agents and follow it.
Create a BUSY Bar JS app that shows how many days are left until New Year.
My BUSY Bar is connected over USB. Build the app, install it and run it.The agent sets everything up, writes the code, and starts the app. It may ask for permission to install Node.js or to run commands.
Look at your BUSY Bar and tell the agent what to change, for example: “Make the number bigger” or “Show the date on the second line”.
Ideas to start with
Replace the second line of the prompt above with one of these:
- Create a BUSY Bar JS app that shows the price of Bitcoin in US dollars and updates it every 5 minutes.
- Create a BUSY Bar JS app that counts down from 25 minutes. The scroll wheel sets the minutes, OK starts and pauses the countdown.
- Create a BUSY Bar JS app that shows the number of stars of the GitHub repository busy-app/busy-tools.
- Create a BUSY Bar JS app that shows a random motivational quote and a new one when I press OK.
Tips
- Think small. The front screen is 72×16 pixels: ask for one or two short lines.
- Describe what you see. If something looks wrong or BUSY Bar shows an error, tell the agent exactly what’s on the screen or paste the error from the terminal.
- Ask for settings. “Let me choose the currency in the settings” gives you a settings screen on BUSY Bar and in the local web interface.
- Keep secrets out. Don’t give the agent passwords or API keys you wouldn’t want saved in the app’s files.
The agent runs commands on your computer
Check what it asks to run, and read the code before you share the app with others.
Next steps
- Want to share your app? See Share your app.
- Curious how the code works? Follow Build a JS app.