GROWTH PATTERN

Adding Retention to Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe Apps

Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe handles the initial user journey well, but drops the ball on retention by not tracking user activity patterns.

Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe

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What's Missing in Standard Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe Architecture

Neon's serverless PostgreSQL is fast, but it doesn't include activity tracking. Without custom event logging, you can't detect when users become inactive or celebrate milestones. You'd need to build your own activity monitoring system.

Standard Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe Flow vs Optimized Skene Flow

Standard Flow
1

User completes onboarding

2

User activity tracked manually (if at all)

3

No automated re-engagement when activity drops

Skene Flow
1

Monitor Neon 'events' table for user activity patterns via serverless PostgreSQL

2

Detect when user becomes dormant (no activity for 7 days)

3

Trigger re-engagement email sequence with personalized content

4

Track re-engagement success and adjust campaigns

Visual comparison of the flows:

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How Skene Fixes This

This Skene Prompt sets up behavioral tracking for Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe by watching Neon tables and detecting inactivity patterns. When users haven't engaged for 7 days, it triggers personalized re-engagement emails.

Implementation Comparison

Using Skene Infrastructure

Install via Prompt

cursor.mdc
@task: Initialize Skene.
@action: Analyze my local code, validating subscription via `npx skene login`, and generate `skene.config.ts` to implement the Retention Loop pattern for Next.js + Neon + NextAuth + Stripe.

Copy Skene Prompt for Cursor

Generated skene.config.ts

skene.config.ts
// skene.config.ts - The Automated Way
import { defineLoop } from '@skene/sdk';

export default defineLoop({
  type: 'retention',
  opinion: 'Detect dormant users and trigger personalized re-engagement campaigns',
  steps: [
    {
      trigger: {
        type: 'schedule',
        cron: '0 9 * * *' // Daily at 9 AM
      },
      condition: {
        type: 'query',
        query: `SELECT * FROM users WHERE last_activity_at < NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days' AND re_engagement_sent = false`,
        timeout: '10m'
      },
      action: {
        type: 'email',
        provider: 'resend',
        template: 're_engagement',
        personalization: {
          name: '{{user.name}}',
          lastActivity: '{{user.last_activity_at}}'
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  recovery: {
    retries: 3,
    backoff: 'exponential'
  }
});

Frequently asked questions