Automating the Boring Stuff: My Journey Creating DataLayer Sidepanel
Hi Indie Hackers!
I’m excited to share my latest project with you all: DataLayer Sidepanel, a Chrome extension designed to make monitoring and debugging Google Tag Manager’s dataLayer much easier for marketers and developers.
Why I built it:
As someone who works a lot with marketing data, I kept running into the same pain point: tracking down dataLayer events was always more complicated than it needed to be. Most solutions required switching tabs, digging through the console, or using clunky tools that weren’t built with marketers in mind. I wanted something that just works—right where I’m already working.
The journey:
This time, I leaned even more on AI to speed up the process. Building with tools like Claude has become a huge part of my workflow. It’s amazing how much easier it is to ship ideas quickly now. I was able to focus on the core features and user experience, while AI helped me handle a lot of the repetitive coding and troubleshooting.
Of course, there were challenges, integrating real-time monitoring smoothly into the Chrome side panel took some experimenting. But overall, the process was much smoother than my previous projects, and AI made it possible to iterate and solve problems faster.
What I’m proud of:
- Real-time dataLayer monitoring right in the Chrome side panel
- Simple, marketer-friendly interface
- No more jumping between tabs or running complicated console commands
What’s next:
I’m planning to keep building with AI and automation, and I truly believe that these tools are making indie hacking more accessible every day. The more we automate the boring stuff, the more time we have to work on things that matter.
If you work with Google Tag Manager or marketing analytics, I’d love for you to check out DataLayer Sidepanel and share your feedback!
Thanks for reading and following along on my journey. Let’s keep building and let AI handle the repetitive stuff!
https://www.producthunt.com/products/datalayer-sidepanel
