Product & SaaS
What is MVP (Minimum Viable Product)?
MVP is the simplest version of the product that delivers core value and allows learning from real users — popularized by Eric Ries in Lean Startup.
The purpose of an MVP is to LEARN, not to sell at scale. It skips pretty features and focuses on "the essential for someone to test and tell if it works". Common mistakes: MVP becoming the final product, or MVP too polished (takes 6 months).
In 2026, with generative AI, MVPs ship in hours, not months (Lovable, Prisma Studio, v0). The question stopped being "how to build fast?" and became "what to build?" — the bottleneck shifted to research, not code.
Use it in practice
Build app with AI
Frequently asked questions
Does the MVP need to charge?
Ideally yes. Willingness to pay is the strongest signal of real value. Free can hide illusory fit.
How many features should an MVP have?
However many solve 80% of the core problem for ONE user profile. Everything else is distraction.