819: Fun & Profitable Side Projects for Developers

Key takeaways

Side projects can be both a creative outlet and a way to explore profitable ideas.
Brainstorming and collaboration are key methods for generating innovative side project ideas.
Setting clear goals for your side project can shape your approach and technology choices.
Choosing the right tech can enhance or hinder your project depending on your end goals.
Engagement and feedback are crucial to maintaining momentum and achieving project completion.
Community involvement can escalate the success and visibility of your side project.

Summary

Overview of Side Projects

Scott and Wes dive into the world of side projects, discussing their own current Hack Week experiments and sharing insights on transforming fun ideas into potentially profitable ventures. They emphasize the balance between creativity, problem-solving, and the potential for income.

Finding Inspiration for Side Projects

The hosts share various strategies for finding ideas for side projects. They advise keeping a running list of ideas that strike you at any moment, emphasizing the importance of brainstorming and collaboration, and looking for problems in your daily life or from conversations to inspire your next project.

Setting Goals for Side Projects

Scott and Wes discuss the diverse motivations behind side projects, from learning new technologies to solving specific problems, or even creating a product for profit. They stress that the end goal can influence the direction and approach of a side project.

Choosing the Right Technology

The discussion covers how to choose the technology stack for your project based on your goals—whether to learn a new framework or to leverage familiar tools for faster development. There’s a critical look at how new technologies can both distract and enrich the project experience.

Maintaining Momentum and Finishing Projects

The hosts talk about the challenge of completing side projects, suggesting methods to stay engaged and finish what you're working on. They highlight the need for clear goals and responsibilities, and the value of use and feedback to encourage progress.

Community and Collaboration

Scott and Wes conclude with an invitation for listeners to share their own projects through a shameless plug opportunity. They emphasize the importance of community support in the development process and the idea that sharing and collaboration can lead to more successful projects.

Show notes

Scott and Wes serve up a hasty discussion on side projects, sharing their latest Hack Week experiments and tips on how to turn fun ideas into profitable ventures. They cover everything from finding inspiration to choosing the right tech, and even offer advice on how to finish what you start.
Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:11 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
01:27 Wes’ Hack Week project.
02:30 Scott’s Hack Week project.
04:18 Where do you get ideas for side projects?
09:22 End goals for a side project.
14:47 Other end goals.
16:45 What tech should you use? drop-in.

20:34 Keeping notes.
23:14 Finishing side projects.
26:39 Shameless Plugisode!
Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
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Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads