Your side project has been "almost done" for six months. The codebase is beautiful. The feature list is impressive. You just need to add one more thing before you can show anyone. Meanwhile, someone else shipped a worse version of your idea three months ago and now has 10,000 users. They're iterating based on real feedback while you're still polishing features no one will ever use.
The graveyard of unfinished projects is full of perfect code that no one ever saw.
Tiny Tools started as a side project—a collection of utilities we built for ourselves. Getting from idea to launched product taught us more than years of reading about it. This guide shares what actually worked, what didn't, and how to avoid becoming another abandoned GitHub repository.
Why Side Projects Die
Before discussing how to ship, let's acknowledge why most projects never launch:
Scope Creep
The project grows until it's impossible to finish:
- "Just one more feature"
- "It needs to be more polished"
- "Competitors have X, so we need X"
We killed three projects this way before learning to ship small.
Perfectionism
Waiting for perfect means waiting forever:
- Endless refinement
- Redesigning before launching
- Paralysis over decisions
Loss of Motivation
Interest fades before completion:
- New idea seems better
- Progress feels slow
- Life gets in the way
Wrong Starting Point
Some projects are doomed from the start:
- No clear audience
- Problem doesn't really exist
- Too technically complex
- Requires resources you don't have
The Pre-Launch Phase
Validate Before Building
Before writing code, answer:
Is this a real problem?
- Do people currently struggle with this?
- Are they looking for solutions?
- Would they use a free tool? Pay for one?
Can you actually build it?
- Do you have the skills?
- Do you have the time?
- What's the minimum viable version?
Does a solution already exist?
- Is the space crowded?
- What would make yours different?
- Can you be "good enough" without massive investment?
For Tiny Tools, we were our own validation—we built tools we personally needed. Every tool started as something we searched for and couldn't find (or found only bad options).
Define the Minimum
"Minimum Viable Product" is overused but important:
Ask: What's the smallest thing that solves the core problem?
Not: What features would be nice to have?
Example - Our Pomodoro Timer:
- Minimum: Timer that counts down 25 minutes with an alert
- Actual v1: Timer, customizable durations, break timer
- Later additions: Session tracking, audio options, keyboard shortcuts
We shipped with a timer. Everything else came after.
Set a Deadline
Open-ended projects expand forever. Set a hard date:
- "I will launch by [specific date]"
- Tell someone to create accountability
- Scope to fit the deadline, not the reverse
Our rule: If a feature doesn't fit the deadline, it's a post-launch addition.
Naming Your Project
Names trip people up unnecessarily. Here's our approach:
Just Pick Something
Perfectionism trap: Spending weeks finding the perfect name before building anything.
Reality: The name matters less than you think. Products succeed despite names, not because of them.
Naming Strategies
Descriptive: Says what it does
- Tiny Tools, Dropbox, YouTube
Abstract: Means nothing but becomes the brand
- Google, Uber, Figma
Portmanteau: Combined words
- Instagram, Pinterest, Spotify
Personal: Your name or initials
- Bloomberg, Dell, McDonald's
Use our Name Generator to brainstorm options and break through naming paralysis.
Practical Requirements
Before committing to a name:
Check availability:
- Domain name (.com preferred, alternatives acceptable)
- Social media handles
- No trademark conflicts
Check usability:
- Easy to spell
- Easy to pronounce
- Works internationally (no offensive meanings elsewhere)
When to Decide
Our process:
- Brainstorm 10-20 options
- Check availability for promising ones
- Pick one that's available and good enough
- Move on and start building
Total time: 1-2 hours maximum.
Building the MVP
What to Build
Include:
- Core functionality that solves the main problem
- Basic usability (doesn't have to be beautiful)
- Error handling (don't crash)
- Basic security (protect user data)
Exclude:
- Accounts and login (if possible)
- Analytics (add later)
- Multiple platforms
- Edge cases
- "Nice to have" features
Technology Choices
Optimize for:
- Your familiarity (don't learn a new framework for a side project)
- Speed of development
- Free or cheap hosting options
- Ease of iteration
Don't optimize for:
- Scale you don't have
- Technologies that look good on a resume
- What "real" companies use
We built Tiny Tools with technology we already knew. Learning new tools is for jobs, not side projects on deadline.
Development Pace
Momentum matters:
- Small daily progress beats sporadic marathons
- Ship something every week if possible
- Visible progress maintains motivation
When stuck:
- Work on the simplest remaining task
- Skip the hard feature for now
- Lower the bar rather than stopping
Preparing for Launch
Essential Launch Checklist
Before announcing:
- Core functionality works
- Basic error handling in place
- Works on major browsers/devices
- Privacy-respecting (if collecting any data)
- Clear explanation of what it does
- Way to contact you (feedback crucial)
Nice-to-Have
- Favicon (use our Favicon Creator)
- Social sharing images (Open Graph)
- Analytics (basic is fine)
- QR code for sharing (use our QR Code Generator)
Don't Need for Launch
- Custom domain (use free hosting initially)
- Perfect design
- Mobile apps
- User accounts
- Paid features
- Support documentation
All of these can come after initial validation.
The Launch
Where to Launch
Soft launch first:
- Share with friends
- Post in relevant communities
- Get initial feedback
Then expand:
- Product Hunt (prep required for good results)
- Reddit (relevant subreddits, follow rules)
- Twitter/X (build in public audience helps)
- Hacker News (hit or miss, unpredictable)
- Indie Hackers (supportive community)
Launch Posts That Work
Include:
- What problem it solves (lead with this)
- Who it's for
- What makes it different
- Link to try it
- Request for feedback
Avoid:
- Feature lists without context
- Jargon
- Apologizing for limitations
- Excessive hype
Managing Expectations
First launch reality:
- Smaller response than hoped
- More feedback (positive and negative) than expected
- Technical issues you didn't anticipate
- Motivation boost from any users
Our first launch got 50 visitors on day one. Not viral, but enough to validate continued work.
After Launch
Handling Feedback
Listen for:
- Common pain points
- Feature requests that align with vision
- Use cases you didn't anticipate
- Bugs and confusion
Filter:
- One-off requests that don't fit
- Feature creep suggestions
- "I would use this if..." (they probably wouldn't)
Iteration vs. New Projects
Stay focused if:
- Users are engaged
- There's a clear path to improvement
- You're still motivated
Consider pivoting or new projects if:
- No traction after genuine effort
- Lost interest despite trying
- Better opportunity emerged
Building in Public
Share your journey:
- Progress updates
- Lessons learned
- Metrics (honest ones)
- Challenges faced
This builds audience for current and future projects, and creates accountability to continue.
Common Pitfalls
Starting Over
Symptom: Rewriting from scratch because the code isn't clean.
Reality: Users don't see your code. Ship it.
Premature Optimization
Symptom: Building for millions of users before you have 10.
Reality: You'll be lucky to have scaling problems. Solve them then.
Feature Chasing
Symptom: Adding features hoping something will make it take off.
Reality: If core value isn't clear, more features won't help.
Comparison Despair
Symptom: Giving up because competitors look better.
Reality: You're comparing your Day 1 to their Year 5. Not fair.
Launch and Abandon
Symptom: Launching, then moving on to the next idea immediately.
Reality: Post-launch iteration often creates success, not the launch itself.
Our Side Project Stack
What we use for Tiny Tools:
Development:
- Framework we already knew
- Free tier hosting
- GitHub for code
Essential tools:
- Name Generator for brainstorming
- Favicon Creator for branding
- Password Generator for secure credentials
- QR Code Generator for easy sharing
Launch:
- Simple landing page
- Email for feedback
- Basic analytics
Total recurring cost when we started: $0
Conclusion
Done is better than perfect. Shipped is better than planned. Feedback from one real user is worth more than opinions from a hundred hypothetical ones.
Start small, set deadlines, resist scope creep, and actually launch. Then iterate based on real feedback from real users. The first version will be embarrassing—that's how you know you shipped on time.
Tiny Tools exists because we shipped imperfect versions and improved them over time. Your side project can follow the same path. The tools we've built are the ones we needed along the way. We hope they help you ship your own projects.
Keep Reading
- Personal Branding Online Guide - Showcase your launched project
- QR Code Best Practices Guide - Promote your project effectively
- Content Creation Workflow Guide - Build an audience for your project
Related Tools
- Name Generator - Break through naming paralysis
- Favicon Creator - Quick branding
- QR Code Generator - Easy sharing
- Password Generator - Secure credentials