IDEAS: A Side Project Ideas Guide
How to Spark, Capture, and Refine Side Project Ideas
Many coders never launch a side project—not because they lack the skills, but because they struggle to find an idea worth building. If you’ve ever stared at a blank IDE or wondered, “What should I actually make?” you’re not alone. The good news is that side project ideas are everywhere, and you don’t need a killer idea to get started. You just need a solid process to spot opportunities and turn them into code.
The IDEAS Model is a five-step framework built for engineers, by engineers. Each step is backed by real-world experience, research, and actionable advice. Ready to ship something? Let’s go.
I – Identify Problems & Pain Points
Start with what annoys you.
The best side projects usually solve a real problem—especially one you face every day. Think about your workflow, your tools, or even that one repetitive task you wish you could automate.
“If you have a problem, try to solve it yourself.”
— Pieter Levels, founder of Nomad List and Remote OK
As you start identifying pain points, remember that you don’t need a revolutionary idea. Most successful projects begin with something simple.
Simone Stolzoff reminds us:
“Most side projects don’t turn into companies, and that’s okay—but the myth that they will can set unrealistic expectations and lead to disappointment.”
How to do it (with more detail and actionable steps):
Keep an idea log. Use a note app, a markdown file, or even a GitHub issue to track every pain point, no matter how small. Review it weekly.
Listen to your peers. Check out forums, Slack channels, or Reddit threads. What are other devs complaining about? What do they wish existed?
Spot inefficiencies. Notice where your tools fall short or where you’re doing manual work that could be scripted. Is there a missing feature in your favorite IDE or terminal tool?
Look at your own habits. Are you copy-pasting the same code snippets? Do you waste time searching for documentation? These are all project opportunities.
Talk to your team or community. Ask others what frustrates them. Often, the best ideas come from group brainstorming or shared pain points.
Why it works:
Building something you actually need means you’ll use it—and maybe others will too.
A large-scale survey of software developers found that
“The most common motivators for side projects are enjoyment, learning, and challenge.”
A dev on Reddit noticed small business owners struggling to find the right software. They built SMBToolset.com (inspired by real threads like this one) to recommend tools based on what similar businesses use.
Another engineer, tired of slow UI creation, launched IconLab Studio to streamline the process:
A developer noticed how hard it was to keep track of PDFs and launched Collate, a macOS app for bookmarking, reading, summarizing, and discussing PDFs—all with privacy and for free.
“Every great developer you know got there by solving problems they were excited about.”
— Jeff Atwood, co-founder of Stack Overflow
D – Diversify Your Inputs
Don’t just rely on your own brain.
The best ideas often come from unexpected places. Expose yourself to a mix of communities, blogs, and even random idea generators.
Dan Abramov, React core team member, puts it this way:
“The best way to learn is by building projects. Side projects are a safe place to make mistakes and learn from them.”
How to do it (with more detail and actionable steps):
Join dev communities. Hit up r/SideProject, Indie Hackers, or niche Slack/Discord channels. Participate in discussions and look for recurring pain points.
Read/watch/listen. Follow tech blogs, YouTube channels, or podcasts—inside and outside your usual stack. Subscribe to newsletters like Dev.to or Hacker News for inspiration.
Try idea generators. Sometimes a random prompt is all you need to spark a new project. Use tools like “Random Project Idea Generator” or “Build Your Own X” lists.
Attend hackathons or online challenges. These events are goldmines for new ideas and collaboration.
Browse project showcase sites. Check out GitHub Trending, Product Hunt, or MadeWithML for inspiration.
Why it works:
Diverse inputs help you see problems and solutions from new angles. You’ll discover niches you never considered and find inspiration from others’ work.
Sara Morrison adds an important perspective:
“Side hustles are a privilege, not a virtue.”
This reminds us that not everyone has the same opportunities, so make the most of yours.
The creator of moaijobs.com joined AI communities and spotted a need for a dedicated AI job board. Now it’s a real platform:
A developer saw the rapid growth of AI tools and created an AI Tool Directory to help users find the right tool for their needs:
Another coder, inspired by community discussions, launched a newsletter-as-a-service focused on SaaS deals and remote job opportunities:
“If you want to be a better developer, you should be reading code, not just writing it.”
— John Resig, creator of jQuery
E – Experiment with Frameworks
Structure your thinking.
Once you’ve got a pain point, use frameworks to turn it into a real project idea.
Research shows:
A significant portion of developers engage in side projects to learn new skills and for personal satisfaction.
“A significant portion of developers engage in side projects to learn new skills and for personal satisfaction.”
— Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024
How to do it (with more detail and actionable steps):
5W+1H: Ask Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How about the problem. Who is affected? What are the core tasks? Where does it happen? When is it a problem? Why is it important? How could you solve it?
First Principles: Break it down to the basics. What is the root cause? How would you rebuild the solution from scratch?
Mind Mapping: Visualize the problem and possible solutions. Use tools like Miro, draw.io, or even pen and paper.
Prototype quickly. Build a minimal version to test your idea. Use no-code tools if you want to validate before coding.
Iterate based on feedback. Share your prototype with friends, colleagues, or online communities and refine your approach.
Why it works:
Frameworks help you move from “this sucks” to “here’s how I’d fix it.” They turn vague inspiration into concrete, actionable project ideas.
A dev used mind mapping to automate team status updates, leading to a Slack bot that saves time—just like the tools listed here:
A developer created a recommendation engine for books or movies, using 5W+1H to define user needs and features:
Another coder built a workout tracker with user authentication, progress tracking, and visualization—using frameworks to break down the requirements:
“The only way to learn a new programming language is by writing programs in it.”
— Dennis Ritchie, creator of C
A Note on Fancy vs. Practical Ideas
Sometimes, we get caught up looking for fancy or glamorous ideas, believing that only those with high potential or novelty are worth pursuing. We might even dismiss our own ideas as “not good enough” before giving them a chance. But this kind of filtering during ideation is often just speculation—there’s no way to truly know an idea’s potential at the brainstorming stage. If you filter too early, you risk shutting down your creativity and missing out on the unique, subconscious insights that can lead to real innovation. The IDEAS Model encourages you to capture and explore every idea, no matter how simple or unconventional, so you can tap into your full creative potential.
Visualization: The IDEAS Model in Action
Imagine a gear system—each step (Identify, Diversify, Experiment, Automate, Select) is a cog. When you turn one, the others move with it, generating a steady flow of actionable ideas.
How to Use the IDEAS Model
Keep an idea log. Track every pain point or idea, no matter how small. Review it weekly.
Engage with communities. Listen to what other devs are struggling with. Participate in discussions and hackathons.
Apply frameworks. Use 5W+1H, first principles, or mind mapping to turn problems into projects.
Look for automation/augmentation. Script it, bot it, or build a plugin. Integrate APIs for extra functionality.
Choose and start. Pick the most promising idea and build a minimal prototype. Share your work and iterate.
A – Automate & Augment
Look for ways to make life easier.
Automation is a coder’s superpower. Ask yourself: Could a script, bot, or tool handle this? Could you improve an existing product with a plugin or integration?
“The most powerful tool we have as developers is automation.”
— Scott Hanselman, Microsoft
How to do it (with more detail and actionable steps):
Automate: Write scripts or bots to handle repetitive tasks. Use Python, Bash, or even browser automation tools like Puppeteer.
Augment: Build plugins, extensions, or integrations for your favorite tools. Add missing features to existing apps.
Integrate APIs. Connect your project to external services for extra functionality.
Monitor and improve. Use analytics or logging to see how your automation is used and where it can be improved.
Share your tools. Open source your automation scripts or publish them as browser extensions or CLI tools.
Why it works:
Automation and augmentation are low-hanging fruit for side projects. They’re also great for learning new tech and making your workflow more efficient.
As you build, keep in mind:
“The best way to learn is by building projects. Side projects are a safe place to make mistakes and learn from them.”
— Dan Abramov
Don’t be afraid to fail. The journey of automating and augmenting is where you’ll pick up the most practical skills.
Raycast started as a simple app launcher for devs tired of slow alternatives. Now it’s a full-blown productivity platform:
A developer built a code snippet manager with GPT-4 autocomplete—a productivity tool that helps devs save and reuse code snippets with AI assistance:
Another coder created a payment app that tracks finances and allows users to send money—automating a common real-world need:
“The best code is no code at all.”
— Jeff Atwood, co-founder of Stack Overflow
S – Select & Start
Pick one idea and ship it.
With a list of potential projects, filter by what’s feasible, interesting, and impactful. Then, just start.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
— Chinese proverb, often cited in tech
How to do it (with more detail and actionable steps):
Feasibility: Can you build it with your current skills and resources? If not, what’s the smallest version you can ship?
Interest: Are you actually excited about this idea? If not, it’s hard to stay motivated.
Impact: Will it solve a real problem for you or others? If not, consider pivoting or combining ideas.
Set a deadline. Give yourself a week or two to build a minimal prototype. Don’t aim for perfection—just get something working.
Share your work. Post your project on GitHub, Dev.to, or social media. Get feedback and iterate.
Why it works:
Starting small and focusing on what excites you increases your chances of actually finishing.
As the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024 shows,
“A significant portion of developers engage in side projects to learn new skills and for personal satisfaction.”
A large-scale survey of software devs found that
“The most common motivators for side projects are enjoyment, learning, and challenge.”
A dev built a weather app using a new language and the OpenWeatherMap API—a classic starter project that teaches API integration and UI design:
A developer created an education app with quizzes, progress tracking, and gamification—perfect for learning full-stack development.
Another coder built a multiplayer online game (like Pictionary) to learn real-time communication and state management:
“Done is better than perfect.”
— Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook
Conclusion: The IDEAS Model Is Your Launchpad
The IDEAS Model isn’t just theory—it’s a practical, engineer-friendly way to find and build your first side project. Focus on real problems, get inspired by the community, use frameworks to structure your thinking, automate what you can, and just start.
Remember: The goal isn’t to build the next unicorn. The goal is to learn, grow, and enjoy the process. As the research shows, the most successful coders are the ones who ship, learn, and keep iterating.
So, grab your idea log, join a community, and start building. The world needs your next project.