How I Built an AI Resume Builder with Next.js + OpenAI (Solo, in a Few Weeks)

I've been working as a full stack developer and kept seeing the same problem — people spend hours tweaking resume formatting instead of focusing on content. Most resume tools are either expensive, locked behind subscriptions, or require you to create an account just to see a template. So I built CVForge — an AI-powered resume builder where you upload your CV, GPT-4 rewrites it for ATS and recruiters, you pick a template, and download as PDF or Word. No account required. The Stack Next.js 15 (App Router) — handles both frontend and API routes in one codebase OpenAI API (GPT-4o) — resume extraction and AI optimization Razorpay — payments (UPI, cards, wallets for Indian users) MongoDB + Mongoose — payment persistence and admin panel pdf-lib + docx — generating PDF and Word files server-side How It Works User uploads a PDF or Word resume OpenAI extracts all structured data (name, experience, skills, education) User picks from 4 professional templates and previews instantly Optionally pays