I Built a Prototype in Replit and Shared a Link Instead of a ZIP
No install, no 'run these steps.' The prototype lived in a URL and the feedback started the same day.
I needed to show a friend a working idea and didn't want to walk them through setup. Replit gave me an editor, a run button, and a share link in one window.
The AI wrote the first version into a file that actually executed, so the feedback loop was 'did it run,' not 'does this look right.' That proximity is the whole appeal for a non-developer.
The catch is the hidden environment, when something broke I couldn't see why as easily as in my own setup. For a prototype that's fine; for production it'd worry me.
If the goal is 'show someone a running thing,' Replit. If the goal is a system you'll maintain, move it to a real environment. I shipped the link and got comments before I'd have finished installing.