Code Prototype
A code prototype is a working software prototype that actually implements the technically riskiest core functions of a product — such as API integrations, data processing, or AI logic. Unlike a clickable dummy, it proves feasibility, not just comprehensibility. It is the right step when the biggest risk is not “Does anyone want this?” but “Does this even work?”
The distinction from the clickable prototype is where most projects take a wrong turn. A clickable dummy tests user comprehension; a code prototype tests technology. If you “validate” a complex API integration with Figma screens, you have not touched the actual risk — it then waits for you in the most expensive phase: development.
A code prototype is deliberately narrow in scope. It implements the two or three functions the venture could fail on — and leaves everything else out: no login system, no settings page, no polished dashboard. It is not an MVP and is not meant to be one. Its result is a proven answer, not a product.
At decivo, the code prototype costs €12,500 as a fixed package price. It is built AI-assisted with Claude Code, and every line is reviewed by developers. Afterwards the code is fully yours — handed over in your repository, documented so a development team can build on it.