Damian 🇦🇺
@damianhodgkiss.com
Building: AppSumo · FiveTaco
Previously: KingSumo · SumoMe (Acquired)
I build fast, scalable SaaS websites.
Previously: KingSumo · SumoMe (Acquired)
I build fast, scalable SaaS websites.
Remember to treat your AI well and make sure he doesn't suffer burnout!
January 6, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Remember to treat your AI well and make sure he doesn't suffer burnout!
Don’t write a webhook until you’ve read the documentation and understand what it needs to do.
Don’t add auth until you’ve read rls and understand what it needs to do.
Then you can have ai write it for you.
Don’t add auth until you’ve read rls and understand what it needs to do.
Then you can have ai write it for you.
December 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Don’t write a webhook until you’ve read the documentation and understand what it needs to do.
Don’t add auth until you’ve read rls and understand what it needs to do.
Then you can have ai write it for you.
Don’t add auth until you’ve read rls and understand what it needs to do.
Then you can have ai write it for you.
I use… whatever it takes to get the job done efficiently following best practices.
I don’t know or care what or how many functions or classes that is.
I just aim to give the end user the best experience as it’s all in the word “USErs”.
They’re the ones that matter.
I don’t know or care what or how many functions or classes that is.
I just aim to give the end user the best experience as it’s all in the word “USErs”.
They’re the ones that matter.
December 8, 2024 at 3:00 PM
I use… whatever it takes to get the job done efficiently following best practices.
I don’t know or care what or how many functions or classes that is.
I just aim to give the end user the best experience as it’s all in the word “USErs”.
They’re the ones that matter.
I don’t know or care what or how many functions or classes that is.
I just aim to give the end user the best experience as it’s all in the word “USErs”.
They’re the ones that matter.
Code fast, fail fast. Repeat.
But remember you still have an obligation to end users to know your craft.
Ideas are nothing without end users and it’s about them, not your MRR.
But remember you still have an obligation to end users to know your craft.
Ideas are nothing without end users and it’s about them, not your MRR.
December 8, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Code fast, fail fast. Repeat.
But remember you still have an obligation to end users to know your craft.
Ideas are nothing without end users and it’s about them, not your MRR.
But remember you still have an obligation to end users to know your craft.
Ideas are nothing without end users and it’s about them, not your MRR.
Coding with Cursor agents
December 6, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Coding with Cursor agents
Screenshot to app in a single prompt.
Idea to MVP app in a few hours.
It seems the bar is getting lower and lower for what defines an app in the indie hacker world these days.
Idea to MVP app in a few hours.
It seems the bar is getting lower and lower for what defines an app in the indie hacker world these days.
December 1, 2024 at 11:00 PM
Screenshot to app in a single prompt.
Idea to MVP app in a few hours.
It seems the bar is getting lower and lower for what defines an app in the indie hacker world these days.
Idea to MVP app in a few hours.
It seems the bar is getting lower and lower for what defines an app in the indie hacker world these days.
Exactly. And you don’t even need to pick one for the site.
Pick it on a per page basis depending on the goal of that page and optimise for that (static vs dynamic etc).
Too many people just let next decide for them but that’s backwards. Everyone should take note of the build command output.
Pick it on a per page basis depending on the goal of that page and optimise for that (static vs dynamic etc).
Too many people just let next decide for them but that’s backwards. Everyone should take note of the build command output.
One of the things I've tried to emphasize about Next.js over the years (but maybe not done a good enough job) is that you get to pick what's right for your app.
CSR? SSR? RSC? Whatever acronym you want? We want to support that.
There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to building web apps.
CSR? SSR? RSC? Whatever acronym you want? We want to support that.
There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to building web apps.
December 1, 2024 at 7:57 PM
Exactly. And you don’t even need to pick one for the site.
Pick it on a per page basis depending on the goal of that page and optimise for that (static vs dynamic etc).
Too many people just let next decide for them but that’s backwards. Everyone should take note of the build command output.
Pick it on a per page basis depending on the goal of that page and optimise for that (static vs dynamic etc).
Too many people just let next decide for them but that’s backwards. Everyone should take note of the build command output.
Crazy to think I started coding in the 90s and launched first internet business in 1998.
Don’t feel old enough to be ya’ll dad but it’s been fun working through the evolution of websites from PHP 2, Perl, ColdFusion, .NET and here we are now with AI writing a bunch of JavaScript
Don’t feel old enough to be ya’ll dad but it’s been fun working through the evolution of websites from PHP 2, Perl, ColdFusion, .NET and here we are now with AI writing a bunch of JavaScript
December 1, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Crazy to think I started coding in the 90s and launched first internet business in 1998.
Don’t feel old enough to be ya’ll dad but it’s been fun working through the evolution of websites from PHP 2, Perl, ColdFusion, .NET and here we are now with AI writing a bunch of JavaScript
Don’t feel old enough to be ya’ll dad but it’s been fun working through the evolution of websites from PHP 2, Perl, ColdFusion, .NET and here we are now with AI writing a bunch of JavaScript
"$20pm for AI is too expensive!"
proceeds to spend 3 hours implementing a navbar that ChatGPT could generate in 15 seconds
time is money people
proceeds to spend 3 hours implementing a navbar that ChatGPT could generate in 15 seconds
time is money people
December 1, 2024 at 3:00 PM
"$20pm for AI is too expensive!"
proceeds to spend 3 hours implementing a navbar that ChatGPT could generate in 15 seconds
time is money people
proceeds to spend 3 hours implementing a navbar that ChatGPT could generate in 15 seconds
time is money people
Gotta love how every creator now says using bolt or v0 is the means to instant riches.
News flash guys. Real developers have been building stuff prior to these tools for decades.
You need validation, marketing, distribution and customer feedback.
News flash guys. Real developers have been building stuff prior to these tools for decades.
You need validation, marketing, distribution and customer feedback.
December 1, 2024 at 1:00 AM
Gotta love how every creator now says using bolt or v0 is the means to instant riches.
News flash guys. Real developers have been building stuff prior to these tools for decades.
You need validation, marketing, distribution and customer feedback.
News flash guys. Real developers have been building stuff prior to these tools for decades.
You need validation, marketing, distribution and customer feedback.
very strange having to re-learn nextjs page router back on AppSumo after a year on 14/app router.
such a different approach to writing certain components.
such a different approach to writing certain components.
December 1, 2024 at 12:00 AM
very strange having to re-learn nextjs page router back on AppSumo after a year on 14/app router.
such a different approach to writing certain components.
such a different approach to writing certain components.
back on AppSumo, I spend more time making sure my components are figma-pixel-perfect than creating them in the first place.
November 30, 2024 at 12:00 AM
back on AppSumo, I spend more time making sure my components are figma-pixel-perfect than creating them in the first place.
CSS selectors died the day we stopped having to write them
November 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM
CSS selectors died the day we stopped having to write them
Your job funds your dreams, not defines them.
Plot twist: That corporate gig is just a really well-paying bootstrap fund
Plot twist: That corporate gig is just a really well-paying bootstrap fund
November 29, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Your job funds your dreams, not defines them.
Plot twist: That corporate gig is just a really well-paying bootstrap fund
Plot twist: That corporate gig is just a really well-paying bootstrap fund
Making $200k writing code from 9-5 so I can focus on what really matters: Spending 6 hours debugging my unreleased side project at midnight
This is called 'work-life unbalance' 😤
This is called 'work-life unbalance' 😤
November 29, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Making $200k writing code from 9-5 so I can focus on what really matters: Spending 6 hours debugging my unreleased side project at midnight
This is called 'work-life unbalance' 😤
This is called 'work-life unbalance' 😤
I spend 10 mins writing code and 2 days making sure I didn't break anything.
November 28, 2024 at 12:00 PM
I spend 10 mins writing code and 2 days making sure I didn't break anything.
Junior devs: Write code
Senior devs: Write code that writes code
2024 devs: Write prompts that write code that writes code
Evolution of professional laziness
Senior devs: Write code that writes code
2024 devs: Write prompts that write code that writes code
Evolution of professional laziness
November 28, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Junior devs: Write code
Senior devs: Write code that writes code
2024 devs: Write prompts that write code that writes code
Evolution of professional laziness
Senior devs: Write code that writes code
2024 devs: Write prompts that write code that writes code
Evolution of professional laziness
Job requirements 2025:
❌ 10 years React
❌ Systems design
❌ DS&A
✅ Consistently gets the AI to output working code on the first try
❌ 10 years React
❌ Systems design
❌ DS&A
✅ Consistently gets the AI to output working code on the first try
November 27, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Job requirements 2025:
❌ 10 years React
❌ Systems design
❌ DS&A
✅ Consistently gets the AI to output working code on the first try
❌ 10 years React
❌ Systems design
❌ DS&A
✅ Consistently gets the AI to output working code on the first try
Your 2025 tech interview: Senior Software Engineer? Staff? Junior? Doesn't matter.
'Show me your prompt history'
'Show me your prompt history'
November 27, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Your 2025 tech interview: Senior Software Engineer? Staff? Junior? Doesn't matter.
'Show me your prompt history'
'Show me your prompt history'
From writing pixel-perfect CSS to 'make me a responsive navbar with a dark mode toggle'
2023: spends 3 hours debugging flexbox
2024: 'no, make it prettier'"
2023: spends 3 hours debugging flexbox
2024: 'no, make it prettier'"
November 26, 2024 at 1:00 PM
From writing pixel-perfect CSS to 'make me a responsive navbar with a dark mode toggle'
2023: spends 3 hours debugging flexbox
2024: 'no, make it prettier'"
2023: spends 3 hours debugging flexbox
2024: 'no, make it prettier'"
does anyone actually read the code cursor/bolt writes, or is "it loads!" the new goal post?
November 26, 2024 at 12:00 PM
does anyone actually read the code cursor/bolt writes, or is "it loads!" the new goal post?
your 9-5 isn't blocking your indiehacker dreams - it's bankrolling them
November 25, 2024 at 10:00 PM
your 9-5 isn't blocking your indiehacker dreams - it's bankrolling them
your bootstrapped SaaS = watching your Stripe MRR hit $1k while your vercel bill quietly scales to $980
November 25, 2024 at 12:00 PM
your bootstrapped SaaS = watching your Stripe MRR hit $1k while your vercel bill quietly scales to $980