I also struggle but find that if I choose a few libraries and tools that I would like to make use of, I try and build a project around them - doesn't have to be anything in particular, just a kind of playground for the cool libraries and tools.
Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
21–30 of 165 posts
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#22[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#23Do something challenging but not too challenging. It should be hard enough that you can learn something without being so hard that you give up.
Some classic computer science project ideas:
- Build a path tracer. Physically-based rendering is a topic with lots of information on the Internet. It requires some math, but at least it's fun math :)
- Write an operating system kernel. It doesn't have to work on real hardware, just QEMU. You could even run it on a very old PC, Raspberry Pi, or TI calculator. This is a good introduction to how OSs work. Again, there's lots of courses and pages full of information online.
- Write your own programming language. Combine ideas from existing languages. You can make an interpreter, a JIT compiler, a single-pass compiler, a nanopass compiler, or something completely different.
- Combine multiple projects! Make your own programming language run on your own operating system and write a path tracer in your own language! Be creative, have fun, and learn useful stuff.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#24- I would suggest make a small app with just basic crud operations. It should have a front-end, backend and a database and then work incrementally to the other steps mentioned below.
- Use k8s to deploy and run your app.
- Add more business logic where you will be needing more tools like elasticsearch, message-queues, etc.
Some examples from the top of my head are Stock Ticker app, Ticketing software like Zendesk, Food delivery App, etc.
Note: Start small, add one feature at a time.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#25Create cross platform GUI library for Rust programming language. If you succeed, at least you will be very famous.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#261. Write down the apps on your phone or computer that you use the most. If you want to bootstrap a profitable business, I recommend listing the apps you use for work. 2. Write down the one feature for each app that you use the most within that app. 3. Write down what slightly annoys you about that one feature 4. Build the product around the one feature you feel you can cook up quickly and that will benefit your workf…
I am doing exactly this right now in my free time. I stopped seeking the idea that was not thought about yet blablablabla. I just want to do something that I can actually use, and if it works out, I hope others can also benefit from it. I did the same about 15 years ago, when I started programming. Ironically, it was the only time that I published something (that is not work and paid) and that people actually used (and thanked me for it).
Let's see how it turns out this time.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#271. Write down the apps on your phone or computer that you use the most. If you want to bootstrap a profitable business, I recommend listing the apps you use for work. 2. Write down the one feature for each app that you use the most within that app. 3. Write down what slightly annoys you about that one feature 4. Build the product around the one feature you feel you can cook up quickly and that will benefit your workf…
My story. I used to use news API services for my side projects. One day, I realized that I can build my own service that will be both, best quality (like real multilanguage support), and cheap.
8 months into it, it is my full-time job and we are releasing our first paid version (post-beta). We have 600 subscribers (beta-testers) and some people claiming they will become paid clients.
It is a huge experience in both, business and tech sides.
So, I would say the most important things are:
* forget "ideas"
* resolve your personal problem that you understand well
* always make a (side-)project with which you can charge people (making it "free" is just an excuse for not making something of good quality - 99.9% of cases)
* to the previous bullet point, you either ship a final solution that has business value for someone, or you are wasting your time (because no one can tell if it is of value or not (by paying))
Product: newscatcherapi.com
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#28Start a community for helping people ideate on side project ideas.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#29You could start with teaching what you know.
I've been doing that with https://alchemist.camp (screencasts for learning Elixir), and it's been a great side project. It's pushed me to learn more than I would have otherwise, built up a (small) profile online and generally lead to good things.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#30I'm currently working on a progressive web application for support workers in care homes. I've seen through first hand experience how much paperwork there is in this setting (daily outcome charts, medicine administration records, abnormal behaviour records, dietary and fluid intake, etc) and how many clerical errors there are. I've also seen first hand the key-document-dependency there can be around service user file…
I've had a lot of experience in and around this looking after both my grandparents. Would be great to learn more about your experience and what you've got planned - would you be interested in a chat?