🎢 The Small Side Project That Suddenly Started Growing — What I’m Learning as a Solo Dev

A few weeks ago, I started building a simple screen recorder Chrome extension as a side project.

Nothing fancy.
No grand vision.
Just a clean, fast tool I wished existed — something without logins, watermarks, or “Upgrade to Pro” lurking behind every click.

I honestly expected it to sit quietly in the corner of the internet.

Turns out… the internet had other plans.

⛯ A Habit of “Just One More Fix”

As developers, we all know this trap:

“Let me just fix this tiny thing before bed.”

Fast-forward 3 hours and you’ve:
• rewritten a function
• fixed a weird UI glitch
• added an entirely new feature you didn’t plan
• convinced yourself it was all necessary

That’s exactly how this project grew.

Every evening I’d open it just to “adjust one thing,” and somehow it kept turning into meaningful progress.

✯ A Little Recognition Along the Way

I was pleasantly surprised to get the Featured Badge on the Chrome Web Store!

It felt like a tiny victory dance — a reminder that even small projects can get noticed.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧 Then The First Users Showed Up 𖤣𖥧𖡼

One day it had 19 users.
Two days later: 59.

Tiny by any big-startup standards.
Huge for a solo developer with zero marketing.

What surprised me most wasn’t the growth — it was the feeling that people I’d never met were actually using something I built in silence.

It makes you want to build better.
Cleaner.
More thoughtfully.

𖣠 The Details People Don’t Notice… Until They Do

This is the part I enjoy the most.

Polishing:
• the recording flow
• the little animations
• the timing
• the “it just works” feeling

Users rarely mention these details, but they’re the difference between “meh” and “oh nice.”

I realised I’m basically building the tool I wish someone else had built before me — which is honestly the best motivation to keep going.

𖡎 What I’m Trying to Understand Next

I’m experimenting, learning in public, and trying to figure out:
• how a simple utility finds its audience
• what “delight” looks like in a no-signup product
• and how Indie Hackers builders grow something without turning every post into a pitch

If you’ve been on this path, I’d love your insights.

✧ If You’re Curious to Try It

You’re welcome to check out the project I’ve been quietly iterating on:

Showesome Screen Recorder — free, no limits, no signups, no watermarks.

Super lightweight.
Built for creators, developers, support teams… basically anyone who records often and hates friction.

No pressure — I’m mostly sharing the story.
But if you do try it, I’d love any feedback. It helps me shape the next steps.

✮⋆˙ Thanks IH

This community makes it feel normal to share the wins, the struggles, and the tiny victories. It’s fun building alongside all of you.