How do open-source frameworks get their first real users?
How do open-source frameworks actually get their first users?
I'm working on a developer framework that is getting close to the point where I can share it more seriously. The technical side is one thing, but distribution feels like a completely different problem.
I don't have an existing audience, so I'm trying to learn from people who have already launched libraries, frameworks, CLIs, or other developer tools.
What helped you most in the beginning? Good documentation? Example projects? Blog posts? Hacker News? Reddit? Direct outreach? GitHub stars? Word of mouth?
I'm also unsure how early to invest in things like SEO, tutorials, landing pages, and comparison docs. Part of me thinks those are essential from day one, but another part thinks the priority should just be making the framework better until people naturally care.
For anyone who's been through this, how did you approach the early stage?