Writing
Notes on building software
Honest takes on shipping products, indie hacking, and the realities of the tech industry. No fluff.
How to Negotiate Salary as a Developer (And What I Wish I Knew Earlier)
I left tens of thousands of euros on the table in my first few years as a developer. Not because companies were dishonest, but because I did not negotiate. I accepted the first number offered, felt grateful for the offer, and moved on. Here is everything I learned about negotiating developer salaries -- the hard way...
SEO for Indie Hackers: What Actually Moved the Needle for Me
I spent months doing SEO the way every beginner does: stuffing keywords, building random backlinks, and wondering why nothing moved. Then I changed my approach entirely. Here is what actually drove organic traffic to my projects -- with no SEO agency, no budget, and no tricks...
The Build in Public Playbook: Growing Your Personal Brand on X Without a Marketing Team
Build in public has become one of those phrases that gets used so often it has almost stopped meaning anything. Here is what it actually means in practice, and how to do it in a way that builds a real audience instead of just performing one.
Your First $1 MRR Beats Your First 1,000 Followers: Why Revenue Validation Matters More
Most indie makers spend months building an audience before trying to make a single dollar. This is backwards. Here is why getting your first paying customer is more valuable than any follower milestone -- and how to do it this week.
SnapPoint: A Hard Reset for Your Dev Machine
Most developer machines are not clean. They just look clean. SnapPoint is a system auditor and package manager manager built to surface the mess and help you reclaim clarity.
The Death of the Flex: Why Proof of Work Is the Only Metric That Matters in 2026
The indie maker community is facing a credibility crisis. Screenshots can be faked, revenue claims go unverified, and audiences are starting to notice. Here is why verified proof of work is the only thing that will matter from here on.
Premium vs Non-Premium Domains: What You’re Really Paying For
Explore the differences between premium and non-premium domains, including pricing models, technical considerations, and product tradeoffs to make informed decisions.
Planning the Chaos: Why I Spent My 27th Birthday Coding
Group chats are where good plans go to die. Here is why we're building Squad In Sync to fix social logistics for good.
From "Bad Period" to #1 on Product Hunt: How I Built PH Wrapped in 24 Hours
How a rough patch led to a 24-hour build, a #1 Product of the Day, and a renewed sense of momentum.
Stop Validating Ideas. Start Validating Pain.
Most founders validate ideas through landing pages and signups. But those signals measure curiosity, not pain. Learn why testing pain points first leads to faster, clearer validation.
I moved my portfolio website from Next.js to Astro. Best decision ever.
After running my portfolio on Next.js for almost three years, I decided to move it to Astro. Less complexity, faster builds, better SEO, and a setup that lets me focus on shipping instead of maintaining.
No Mouse 30: A Small Experiment in Working With the Keyboard
After dealing with wrist pain caused by constant mouse use, I’m running a 30-day experiment to work keyboard-first. This isn’t about extreme productivity or purity. It’s about noticing friction, reducing context switching, and building better habits.
The Strange Reality of Hiring Right Now
This week I had an interview that seemed promising. The interviewer told me there were strong chances I could get hired before Christmas. The recruiter had already sent my profile to the client, the client liked me enough to schedule the interview qu...
Creators Are Losing Hours Chasing Trends. I’m Building a Fix.
If you create content, you already know the struggle Every creator knows this feeling: You sit down ready to film or write…but first you have to figure out what is trending right now. So you open:Google TrendsYouTube TrendingX exploreReddit Popular A...
Let’s talk about vibe coding
Hello once again, everyone! My name is Alex Cloudstar, and I am thrilled to share a bit about myself and my journey in the world of technology. For those of you who might not be familiar with me (which is quite likely), I am a seasoned software engin...
The Waitlist Illusion
The Promise of a Waitlist Every indie hacker has experienced the same enticing thought: “I’ll create a landing page, add a waitlist form, and voilà, I’ll instantly know if my idea has demand.” At first glance, this approach seems brilliant. It appear...
Stop Obsessing Over the Perfect Stack
The Setup: A Familiar Scene You have a brilliant idea, and excitement bubbles within you. You open your code editor, create a repository, and even design a logo. But then a familiar dilemma arises: “Should I choose Next.js or Remix?” “Do I need TypeS...
🚀 My First Real Startup: The Rise (and Flatline) of CoLaunchly
I never thought I’d write a post like this. But here we are. This is the story of my first real startup. It’s called CoLaunchly. A tool I built to help devs like me actually market their apps instead of letting them die in silence. Let’s rewind a bit...
The Domain Graveyard Problem (And How to Avoid It)
If you have been in the indie hacker or startup world for a while, you probably know this feeling. You get a new idea. You get excited.You check if the domain is available. It is.You buy it.Then nothing happens. A year later, you look at your domain ...
How I Got #4 on Product Hunt - My First Launch Story
Hi! I’m Alex Cloudstar, founder of CoLaunchly.io, a launch co-pilot that helps indie makers and developers market their products better. On May 13, 2025, I officially launched CoLaunchly on Product Hunt. In this post, I want to share how it went, wha...