# side projects Published articles for side projects. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## How AI Tools Accelerate the Reward Loop of Building DevFeed: [How AI Tools Accelerate the Reward Loop of Building]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-09-07T02:54:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [ai](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [digital-products](), [music](), [no-natural-limit](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [tokens](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The author argues that building has long been driven by an unpredictable reward loop, but AI tools have shortened the time from idea to working product, making that loop run faster and potentially changing the nature of the hobby. ### Source excerpt A friend and I were comparing. They'd done about 10 billion tokens in the same period and neither of us found that alarming, really. Which is probably the first thing worth noticing. And we probably all know people running way higher. ## Why Developer Feedback Failed to Validate a Photography Tool DevFeed: [Why Developer Feedback Failed to Validate a Photography Tool]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-31T02:08:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [App](), [test]() Tags: [app](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [developer](), [digital-products](), [evaluation](), [indie-hackers](), [launch](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [the-wrong-room](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The author reflects on building a photography tool that received warm feedback from developers and technically inclined beta testers but underperformed with the broader photographer audience. The article argues that feedback from people in the builder's existing community can create a biased sample and obscure whether the product solves a problem for typical users. ### Source excerpt They told me it was clever and asked about the stack, and a few of them shared it around. The reception from other builders was warm in a way that felt like some sort of signal. ## Type The Repo Name DevFeed: [Type The Repo Name]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-24T01:11:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [GitHub](), [data]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [case-study](), [code](), [conversion](), [design](), [digital-products](), [github](), [music](), [photography](), [product](), [product-engineering](), [safety](), [side-projects](), [type-the-repo-name](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The article argues that reducing friction is beneficial for routine tasks but harmful when it removes protection, learning, or meaningful engagement. It recommends deliberately adding safeguards for irreversible actions, preserving effort in learning experiences, and making users care about outcomes. ### Source excerpt No click-to-confirm, no checkbox. You type the whole thing out character by character while a red button waits, and it's the most annoying interaction in the entire product. ## Nothing To See Here Yet DevFeed: [Nothing To See Here Yet]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-09T13:48:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Software](), [dashboards](), [data](), [ibm]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [data](), [design](), [digital-products](), [ibm](), [music](), [nothing-to-see-here-yet](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [software](), [web-development]() ### AI overview An experienced developer reflects on why products repeatedly ship poor empty states. The article argues that blank screens reduce confidence, hurt discoverability, and appear in many situations beyond a first login, including empty searches, filters, cleared task lists, and unused accounts. It calls for designing these states deliberately instead of focusing only on populated interfaces. ### Source excerpt Every product has a moment before it has any data in it, and almost nobody designs for that moment on purpose. This is about why that screen keeps shipping broken, and what a good one should actually look like. ## Learning to Wait Again DevFeed: [Learning to Wait Again]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-08-02T20:47:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Code](), [Slack]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [digital-products](), [learning](), [learning-to-wait-again](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [productivity](), [research](), [side-projects](), [web-development]() ### AI overview A reflection on relearning patience in software development, where faster tools have removed the natural delays that once gave ideas time to evolve. The article argues that deliberate waiting supports better thinking when it follows focused work and involves mildly engaging activities such as walking. ### Source excerpt I'm not optimizing my rest so I can output more on the other side. I just noticed at some point this year that I'd stopped leaving any space between having an idea and doing something about it. ## Six Out of Ten DevFeed: [Six Out of Ten]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-27T00:58:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [dashboards](), [Server](), [Benchmark](), [Statistics](), [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [benchmarks](), [code](), [dashboards](), [design](), [digital-products](), [enterprise](), [marketing](), [music](), [newsletter](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [server](), [side-projects](), [six-out-of-ten](), [statistics](), [web-development]() ### AI overview The article explains why email delivery and deliverability are different metrics. It compares benchmark results, showing that messages accepted by receiving servers may still reach spam or disappear, and that outcomes vary by sender type, engagement, and measurement window. ### Source excerpt I've been sending email for over a decade. Across the newsletters I run we push roughly three million emails a quarter, every day, to lists in the tens of thousands. ## The Code You Didn't Write DevFeed: [The Code You Didn't Write]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-12T16:51:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Code](), [JavaScript](), [payload](), [Back end](), [Blockchain](), [Resilience]() Tags: [analysis](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [backend](), [code](), [design](), [developers](), [digital-products](), [javascript](), [music](), [payload](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [resilience](), [side-projects](), [the-code-you-didn-t-write](), [web-development]() ### AI overview A developer discovers obfuscated JavaScript embedded in a backend file that executes automatically when the application starts. Static analysis reveals a throttled loader that retrieves encrypted commands through attacker-controlled blockchain transactions, decrypts the payload, and executes it. ### Source excerpt I pulled down a codebase for some work, like I normally do. I cloned the repo, installed the dependencies, spun it up locally, and started poking around to get my bearings. Then things started looking strange. ## Designing for One DevFeed: [Designing for One]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-07-05T23:45:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [designing for one](), [Product Management](), [Software](), [Open Source]() Tags: [articles](), [audience-building](), [building](), [code](), [design](), [designing-for-one](), [digital-products](), [music](), [open-source](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [product-management](), [side-projects](), [software](), [web-development](), [workflow]() ### AI overview "Designing for One" explores the appeal and hidden costs of building software for a single user: yourself. The article argues that this approach creates fast feedback, clear priorities, and highly opinionated products, while shortcuts around labels, instructions, and empty states become liabilities when other people start using the product. ### Source excerpt No audience to picture and no personas on the whiteboard. There's no imagined user whose confusion you have to design around. It's just you with the problem in front of you. You have the freedom to solve it exactly the way your own brain wants it solved. ## Automating Everything That Doesn't Need Me DevFeed: [Automating Everything That Doesn't Need Me]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Josh Sherman Published: 2026-07-05T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Josh Sherman]() Topics: [agentic-coding](), [Automation](), [AI Development](), [Code]() Tags: [agentic-coding](), [automation](), [code](), [coding](), [deploy](), [monitoring](), [projects](), [side-projects](), [trust]() ### AI overview The author describes an ongoing experiment in using a personal agent and automation to reduce human involvement across side-project workflows, including design, coding, review, merging, deployment, and monitoring. Trust is built through repeated supervised iterations, with tests and intervention when the agent fails. ### Source excerpt I've been writing a lot about LLMs, AI (or the so-called "Artificial Intelligence") and the like. Part of that is because I haven't been running into many problems that I feel need documenting. Bigger part is because I'm finding that "how-to" content is easy to slop with a robot, so I'd rather write about things that the clankers can't. In a word, I'm just trying to write more human. While I don't think I've achieved full tokenmaxxing AI psychosis levels yet, I do like agentic coding. I'm also a huge proponent for automation. If it comes up regularly, it should be automated. If it can't be fully automated, then it should at least be partially automated. If I don't need to be materially involved, then I shouldn't be involved at all. My latest foray into building my own agent has included a refocus around trying to automate any and everything that I can. I still consider this to be an experiment more than me drinking any sort of Kool-Aid. Similar motives to my push for a dumber home, if I need to be involved, then it doesn't need to be smart. Well if I don't need to be involved, it should be automated. That's led me down a rabbit hole of trying to be less and less involved with certain things. Keep in mind, this is an experiment against my personal agent, and my myriad of smaller side projects. Most of the work is code based, so that includes writing a spec and/or design, slinging code, reviewing it, merging it, and deploying it. Most of that chain doesn't need me at all. Robots can take my half baked idea and turn it into a design spec. They can generate code that's coherent enough. Then they can review the code. I get to play gatekeeper and make them wait for my approval. From there, they can worry about merging it in and monitoring the deploy. I measure success on my agentic game loops by how much trust I have in the output that I'm reviewing. Run the loop enough times with a watchful eye, I can see where it fucks up. We iterate, and repeat the process. Usually wit ## AI Coding Tools Shift Experienced Developers from Slower to Faster Work DevFeed: [AI Coding Tools Shift Experienced Developers from Slower to Faster Work]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jon C. Phillips Published: 2026-06-28T17:56:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Jon C. Phillips]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [Code](), [Stack Overflow]() Tags: [ai](), [articles](), [audience-building](), [code](), [design](), [developers](), [digital-products](), [judgment-bottleneck](), [music](), [photography](), [product-engineering](), [side-projects](), [survey](), [web-development](), [writing-code]() ### AI overview The article argues that experienced developers' measured performance with AI coding tools shifted from roughly 19% slower in mid-2025 to roughly 18% faster by early 2026. It attributes the change to better tools and developers gaining experience directing and reviewing generated code, while noting sample-selection caveats. ### Source excerpt That puts me on one side of a heated argument. A well-known METR study in 2025 found experienced developers were around 19% slower with AI while sure they were faster, and skeptics passed it around as proof. ## One Postgres cluster, many apps DevFeed: [One Postgres cluster, many apps]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Simeon Griggs Published: 2026-06-25T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Blog -- PlanetScale]() Topics: [postgresql clusters](), [Database](), [App](), [Authorization]() Tags: [administration](), [apps](), [complexity](), [database](), [databases](), [engineering](), [postgres](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how multiple small applications can share a single PlanetScale Postgres cluster through separate logical databases. It covers clusters, branches, logical databases, roles, permissions, and the tradeoff between shared infrastructure for side projects and dedicated clusters for applications that need to scale. ### Source excerpt Yo, I heard you liked databases, so we put logical databases in your database cluster so you can database while you database ## Your Laravel Cloud Stack Now Scales to Zero and Wakes 20x Faster DevFeed: [Your Laravel Cloud Stack Now Scales to Zero and Wakes 20x Faster]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Laravel Team Published: 2026-06-01T14:00:21Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [Laravel Blog]() Topics: [Laravel](), [Cloud](), [Databases](), [Cache](), [Software as a service]() Tags: [cache](), [cloud](), [databases](), [laravel](), [pricing](), [production](), [saas](), [scale](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview Laravel Cloud's updated Flex compute lets the full stack--compute, databases, and cache--scale to zero and wake together in under 500 milliseconds. The release also introduces a $5/month Starter plan with $5 in usage credits and hard monthly spending limits. ### Source excerpt Laravel Cloud's full stack now scales to zero and wakes in under 500 ms. A new $5 Starter plan and spending limits keep your bill in check. ## Introducing ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026 DevFeed: [Introducing ChatGPT Futures: Class of 2026]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2026-05-06T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [OpenAI News]() Topics: [ChatGPT](), [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [accessibility](), [ai](), [building](), [chatgpt](), [company](), [creativity](), [generation](), [learning](), [models](), [research](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview OpenAI introduces the inaugural ChatGPT Futures Class of 2026, recognizing 26 students and young builders who use AI to create study tools, translate mental health resources, advance research, design accessibility tools, and develop impactful organizations. Each honoree will receive a $10,000 grant and access to frontier models. ### Source excerpt Meet the ChatGPT Futures Class of 2026--26 student innovators using AI to build, research, and drive real-world impact. Discover how this generation is redefining learning, creativity, and opportunity with ChatGPT. ## Crafting Code: Building a Ruby Pattern Generator for a Crochet Circle DevFeed: [Crafting Code: Building a Ruby Pattern Generator for a Crochet Circle]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Mary Lee Published: 2026-01-20T14:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Hashrocket]() Topics: [Ruby](), [Parsing](), [Parser](), [Code](), [coding]() Tags: [building](), [code](), [coding](), [parsing](), [patterns](), [project](), [ruby](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview This tutorial describes building a Ruby class that generates crochet circle patterns. It explains how crochet rounds are formatted, how stitch abbreviations and counts reveal repeated increases, and how those patterns can be parsed and modeled in code. ### Source excerpt In my time as a developer, I have noticed that one of the most common ways my coworkers spend time coding outside of work is by developing little code snippets or apps that solve problems in their everyday lives. From household budgeting, to managing workouts on rowing machines, to generating a Taco Bell order, these projects allow devs to explore different coding styles and learn new technologies. For a long time, most of my side projects have been for the sole purpose of learning a new technology. When I wanted to start building mobile apps with React Native, I wrote a small to-do app that, once finished, I abandoned. The same thing happened when I wanted to try to use PostgreSQL's listen and notify feature to build a live updating chat app. So, when I was thinking about a new side project, I decided it was time to work on something that could be long lived and help me with one of my favorite hobbies: crocheting. The Premise Recently, I've been making a lot of small projects that have started with a base shape that then gets built upon. Often, this shape is a circle. After running through several projects, I started to notice a pattern of increases and repetitions for each row. It occurred to me that if the shape followed a specific pattern, I could probably build a ruby class to generate that pattern. Thus began this side project! Breaking Down a Simplified Pattern To begin, we have to inspect the pattern. Crochet patterns follow a specific format, and use abbreviations for the types of stitches being used. The example pattern uses the following abbreviations and rules: Abbreviation Meaning Use Stitch Count sc single crochet adds a stitch to the round 1 inc increase (two single crochets in the same stitch) adds an extra stitch to the round 2 With those abbreviations in mind, we can start parsing the pattern. R1: 6sc in magic ring (6) R2: [inc] x6 (12) R3: [sc, inc] x6 (18) R4: sc, inc, [2sc, inc] x5, sc (24) R5: [3sc, inc] x6 (30) R6: 2sc, inc, [4sc, inc] x5, 2sc ## Why So Many Projects in the Neon Free Plan? DevFeed: [Why So Many Projects in the Neon Free Plan?]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Brad Van Vugt Published: 2025-11-26T18:08:15Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Blog -- Neon Docs]() Topics: [databricks](), [cloud-infrastructure](), [changelog](), [GitHub]() Tags: [apps](), [company](), [compute](), [cost](), [databricks](), [developers](), [github](), [infrastructure](), [integration](), [postgres](), [pricing](), [prototypes](), [resources](), [scale](), [side-projects](), [storage]() ### AI overview The article explains why Neon has been increasing the number of projects available in its Free Plan. It attributes this expansion to an architecture that separates storage and compute, platform efficiency improvements, and Neon running on Databricks' global infrastructure, which lowers operating costs. Neon says it is using these gains to offer more competitive usage-based pricing and make the Free plan useful for side projects, prototypes, small apps, and experimentation. ### Source excerpt Over the past few weeks, you might've noticed something in our changelog: we've been steadily increasing the number of projects included in Neon's Free Plan. Why are we doing this? Why now? We've reached two significant milestones that have allowed us to do this: We could have ch... ## Escovando Bits #63 - Side projects que pagam as contas: guia realista DevFeed: [Escovando Bits #63 - Side projects que pagam as contas: guia realista]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Carlos Alexandro Becker Published: 2025-09-18T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: pt Sources: [Carlos Becker]() Topics: [opensource]() Tags: [chat](), [money](), [opensource](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview A Portuguese discussion about side projects, open source, and making money from them. ### Source excerpt We had a chat about side projects, OpenSource, and making money out of it -- in Portuguese. ## Effective Learning DevFeed: [Effective Learning]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Tiger Abrodi Published: 2025-08-03T10:40:58Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Saiyan Growth Letter]() Topics: [Learning](), [Code](), [Documentation](), [Framework](), [Library](), [Open Source](), [React]() Tags: [code](), [documentation](), [game](), [how-to](), [learning](), [notes](), [open-source](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview The article offers practical advice for learning software development more effectively. It recommends reading error messages and documentation carefully, discussing documentation with AI, following curiosity through projects, building breadth across technologies, recreating systems from scratch, shipping projects, and asking questions in communities. ### Source excerpt Notes when people ask me how to learn more effectively ## Supabase Launch Week 15 Hackathon DevFeed: [Supabase Launch Week 15 Hackathon]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Tyler Shukert Published: 2025-07-18T07:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Supabase Blog]() Topics: [Supabase](), [Open Source]() Tags: [2025](), [app](), [building](), [code](), [frameworks](), [hackathon](), [launch](), [library](), [open](), [open-source](), [projects](), [side-projects](), [startup](), [tool]() ### AI overview Supabase Launch Week 15 Hackathon invites individuals and teams of up to four to build a new open-source project using Supabase over 10 days. The article explains the schedule, submission requirements, prize categories, judging criteria, and event rules. ### Source excerpt Build an Open Source Project over 10 days. 5 prize categories. ## Meet Cursor Tab and Never Look Back: The Future of AI-Assisted Coding DevFeed: [Meet Cursor Tab and Never Look Back: The Future of AI-Assisted Coding]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Carlota Soto Published: 2025-04-04T00:13:42Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Blog -- Neon Docs]() Topics: [AI-assisted coding](), [cursor](), [Vibe coding](), [code-completion](), [Code]() Tags: [ai](), [ai-assisted-coding](), [autocomplete](), [code-completion](), [cursor](), [developer](), [learning](), [product](), [side-projects](), [vibe-coding](), [vs-code]() ### AI overview The article introduces Cursor Tab, an AI-assisted coding feature designed to keep developers in control while writing code. It contrasts "tab coding" with more autonomous vibe coding and describes predictive coding and zero-entropy edits, where Cursor anticipates larger code changes and handles predictable actions after the developer's intent is clear. ### Source excerpt It's crazy to think that "vibe coding" started just weeks ago, with this tweet from Andrej Karpathy: Now, you can get a job as a vibe coder, and Stanford professors are giving lectures on it. That escalated quickly. In its short life, vibe coding has come to mean all kinds of AI-... ## Year in Review: 2024 DevFeed: [Year in Review: 2024]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: hello@taniarascia.com Published: 2025-03-27T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Tania Rascia]() Topics: [coding](), [CSS](), [React](), [Web Development](), [Web platform]() Tags: [bluesky](), [burnout](), [career](), [coding](), [css](), [hooks](), [keyboard](), [meta](), [pagination](), [projects](), [react](), [redesign](), [review](), [side-projects](), [sorting](), [table](), [variables](), [year-in-review]() ### AI overview A 2024 year-in-review from a principal engineer who continues to work primarily with React and CSS. The author reflects on balancing a full-time engineering role with coding, writing, side projects, and maintaining a personal website, while highlighting several articles and a blog redesign completed during the year. ### Source excerpt I'm trying to win the award for "Latest Year in Review". 🏆 I don't know if anyone can challenge me at this point, as it's almost thirdway... ## Side Projects Reverie DevFeed: [Side Projects Reverie]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Carlos Alexandro Becker Published: 2024-11-29T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Carlos Becker]() Topics: [Maintainers](), [GitHub]() Tags: [github](), [oss](), [projects](), [side-projects]() ### AI overview A personal reflection on building side projects by solving problems for oneself, releasing the results as open source, iterating quickly, and accepting that many projects will be abandoned. ### Source excerpt A short reflection on side projects, and how I do them. ## On being a Freelance Full-Stack Developer DevFeed: [On being a Freelance Full-Stack Developer]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Robin Wieruch Published: 2024-11-20T11:50:46Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Robin Wieruch]() Topics: [web applications](), [Web Development](), [React](), [Node.js](), [React Native](), [JavaScript](), [Next.js]() Tags: [2017](), [apis](), [career](), [freelance](), [freelance-full-stack-developer](), [javascript](), [junior-developer](), [next-js](), [node-js](), [personal-experience](), [react](), [remote](), [side-projects](), [skills](), [team](), [web-applications]() ### AI overview A freelance full-stack developer reflects on working with companies to build and maintain web applications and APIs. The article describes the prior experience, collaboration, side projects, and technical skills the author considers important before starting freelance work. ### Source excerpt ... ## Learning Full-Stack Development Through Side Projects DevFeed: [Learning Full-Stack Development Through Side Projects]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: info@jeroenmols.com (Jeroen Mols) Published: 2024-10-27T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Jeroen Mols]() Topics: [Full Stack Development](), [Development](), [Mobile](), [Front end](), [React](), [TypeScript](), [PostgreSQL](), [Database]() Tags: [blogs](), [career](), [database](), [development](), [full-stack](), [full-stack-development](), [learning](), [mobile](), [postgresql](), [react](), [side-project](), [side-projects](), [typescript]() ### AI overview The author explains how moving from mobile development to a full-stack team exposed gaps in foundational knowledge, especially around architecture and starting projects from scratch. They describe using side projects to learn and introduce a finance manager project built with React, TypeScript, and PostgreSQL. ### Source excerpt After pivoting my career to full-stack development, I missed the "depth" I used to have on mobile. So to build out more foundational full-stack knowledge, I decided to build a few side projects. ## Supabase Launch Week 12 Hackathon DevFeed: [Supabase Launch Week 12 Hackathon]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Craig Cannon; Tyler Shukert Published: 2024-08-26T07:00:00Z Content type: news Language: en Sources: [Supabase Blog]() Topics: [Supabase](), [Open Source](), [App](), [Artificial Intelligence]() Tags: [ai](), [app](), [hackathon](), [launch](), [library](), [open-source](), [previous-hackathon-prize-winners](), [projects](), [side-projects](), [startup](), [tool]() ### AI overview Supabase announces a 10-day Launch Week 12 hackathon in which individuals or teams of up to four can build an Open Source project using Supabase. Submissions require a one-minute demonstration video, and prizes recognize categories including overall quality, AI use, technical achievement, and visual appeal. ### Source excerpt Build an Open Source Project over 10 days. 5 prize categories. [Next page]()