[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-article-failing-forward-the-importance-of-publishing-your-side-projects":3},{"meta":4,"html":38,"authorName":39,"authorFacebookUrl":40,"authorProfileImage":41,"authorWebsite":42,"authorJobTitle":43,"authorTwitterUrl":44,"wordCount":45,"recommended":46},{"id":5,"slug":6,"type":7,"title":8,"excerpt":9,"metaTitle":10,"metaDescription":10,"canonicalUrl":10,"featureImage":11,"publishedAt":16,"createdAt":17,"updatedAt":18,"featured":19,"readingTime":20,"tags":21,"author":37,"recommendedSlugs":10},"63f1e83be2f30306277d3a05","failing-forward-the-importance-of-publishing-your-side-projects","post","Failing Forward: The Importance of Publishing Your Side Projects","Discover the benefits of publishing your side projects, even if they fail. Learn how 'failing forward' can increase your creativity and lead to success.",null,{"url":12,"alt":13,"caption":14,"width":15,"height":15},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1512548438457-4c9584d3766b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fHNoYW1lfGVufDB8fHx8MTY3Njc5ODQyMw&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000","Woman covering her face with blanket - Failing Forward: The Importance of Publishing Your Side Projects","Photo by \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@alexagorn?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit\">Alexandra Gorn\u003C\u002Fa> \u002F \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F?utm_source=ghost&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit\">Unsplash\u003C\u002Fa>",2000,"2023-02-20T07:33:42.000+00:00","2023-02-19T09:13:31.000+00:00","2024-09-01T20:20:14.000+00:00",false,4,[22,25,28,31,34],{"name":23,"slug":24},"Side Hustle","side-hustle",{"name":26,"slug":27},"Side Projects","side-projects",{"name":29,"slug":30},"Web Development","web-development",{"name":32,"slug":33},"Programming","programming",{"name":35,"slug":36},"My Journey","my-journey","marius-bongarts","\u003Cp>\n  Developers often take on side projects as a way to explore their passion for programming and learn new technologies\n  outside of their day-to-day jobs. Unfortunately, too many of those never see the lights of the public.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"kg-blockquote-alt\">\n  For many developers, programming is a labor of love. -\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finsights.stackoverflow.com\u002Fsurvey\u002F2015#profile-sideprojects\" rel=\"noopener\">StackOverflow\u003C\u002Fa>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  According to the\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finsights.stackoverflow.com\u002Fsurvey\u002F2015#profile-sideprojects\" rel=\"noopener\">\n    2015 StackOverflow survey\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  , an impressive 91.7% of developers reported having active side projects. Unfortunately, the survey does not reveal\n  how many of these projects are published. While it is difficult to determine the exact numbers, likely, only a small\n  percentage of side projects are ever made public.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"kg-blockquote-alt\">\n  The average developer spends more than 7 hours per week coding on the side.-\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Finsights.stackoverflow.com\u002Fsurvey\u002F2015#profile-sideprojects\" rel=\"noopener\">StackOverflow\u003C\u002Fa>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  Many developers have continued developing a side project for years. They spend hours creating a product without ever\n  publishing it.\n  \u003Cstrong>Why is that?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  The idea of launching a product that is not well-received can be daunting. Despite dreaming about making money with a\n  product, the real potential of launching a product nobody likes is far scarier than developing a product nobody’s\n  heard of.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card\">\n  \u003Cimg\n    src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn-images-1.medium.com\u002Fmax\u002F1600\u002F1*-vuzP4JAoPf9S6ZdHNR_Jg.jpeg\"\n    class=\"kg-image\"\n    alt=\"Side project\"\n    loading=\"lazy\"\n  \u002F>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>\n  One of the side projects I started and successfully released is the\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchrome.google.com\u002Fwebstore\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n    rel=\"noopener\"\n  >\n    Chrome extension Web Highlights\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  . I still vividly remember my thoughts when I first made it available in the Chrome Web Store.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>\n    \u003Cem>Was I concerned that nobody liked the extension?\u003C\u002Fem>\n    \u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>Yes\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n    \u003Cem>.\u003C\u002Fem>\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\n    \u003Cem>Was I concerned that users would complain about bugs?\u003C\u002Fem>\n    \u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>Yes\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n    \u003Cem>.\u003C\u002Fem>\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\n    Was I excited to publish my first side project?\n    \u003Cstrong>Yes, I was.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>\n  So, what happened?\n  \u003Cstrong>Did I launch a product nobody likes?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Let’s put it that way: It could have started better. After one month, I have had\n  \u003Cstrong>four\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  users — Me, my brother, my mum, and a friend. Two months later, I have had\n  \u003Cstrong>eight\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  users — Me, my brother, my mum, and five friends. My brother used to be (and still is) a “\n  \u003Cem>bug-hunter\u003C\u002Fem>\n  ,” and my friends helped me test and improve the app.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  However, the highlight for me was on March 12th, 2020, when an unknown user signed up for the project. It was a small\n  but significant milestone that brought me joy and renewed my motivation to continue working on the project.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  After a year, I was a proud developer of an extension with\n  \u003Cstrong>124\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  active users. Meanwhile, there are over\n  \u003Cstrong>9250\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  active users. This is still not an overwhelming amount. But much more important to me is that many users love the\n  application as much as I do.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\">\n  \u003Cimg\n    src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn-images-1.medium.com\u002Fmax\u002F1600\u002F1*Fp2qm7YZw28KZVH8v8nueg.png\"\n    class=\"kg-image\"\n    alt=\"Weekly users — Web Highlights — PDF & Web Highlighter\"\n    loading=\"lazy\"\n  \u002F>\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\n    Weekly users — \n    \u003Ca\n      href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchrome.google.com\u002Fwebstore\u002Fdetail\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm?authuser=0&hl=en\"\n      data-href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchrome.google.com\u002Fwebstore\u002Fdetail\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm?authuser=0&hl=en\"\n      class=\"markup--anchor markup--figure-anchor\"\n      rel=\"noopener\"\n      target=\"_blank\"\n    >\n      Web Highlights — PDF & Web Highlighter\n    \u003C\u002Fa>\n  \u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>\n  So ask yourself: What could happen? It might be that nobody will notice your product. Or maybe, users will not like\n  your product and will get rid of it again. You might also receive negative reviews. So what?\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  \u003Cem>\n    We can be truly successful only at something we’re willing to fail at. If we’re unwilling to fail, then we’re\n    unwilling to succeed. — Mark Manson\n  \u003C\u002Fem>\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Establishing a mindset where failure is not a bad thing would be best. Actually, failure is necessary for growth. Let\n  me emphasize that by quoting Mark Manson:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  \u003Cem>\n    If you think about a young child trying to learn to walk, that child will fall down and hurt itself hundreds of\n    times. But at no point does that child ever stop and think, “Oh, I guess walking just isn’t for me. I’m not good at\n    it.” Avoiding failure is something we learn at some later point in life.\n  \u003C\u002Fem>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  Projecting this to side projects means that even if your first project is not a success. Maybe your second, third, or\n  fifteenth is. Never give up and realize that at the end of all of your projects — whether successful or unsuccessful,\n  paid or unpaid, finished or unfinished — you will always win: new experiences, new contacts, and new findings about\n  yourself!\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"kg-blockquote-alt\">\n  I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. — Yevgeniy Brikman\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  Another significant advantage of publishing your side project is showing your work to others. When interviewing for\n  development jobs, it’s not uncommon to be asked if you’ve completed any side projects. Having a\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002FMariusBongarts\" rel=\"noopener\">GitHub profile\u003C\u002Fa>\n  is also expected in many cases, and potential employers may ask to see your profile. I can say that having a running\n  Chrome extension with thousands of users caused me amazement during my job interviews.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3 id=\"final-thoughts\">Final Thoughts\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>\n  We often start side projects to develop skills and unleash creativity. However, it’s not uncommon for many of these\n  projects to never see the light of day. If you have a side project, don’t be afraid to take the next step and share it\n  with the world. Publishing your project isn’t just about showcasing your work. It’s also the first step to potential\n  success and growth. By embracing the possibility of failure and taking a leap of faith, you open yourself up to new\n  experiences, opportunities, and personal growth.\n  \u003Cstrong>So, don’t delay and publish your project today!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  I hope you enjoyed reading this article. I am always happy to answer questions and am open to criticism. Feel free to\n  contact me at any time 😊\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Get in touch with me via\n  \u003Cstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fmarius-bongarts-6b3638171\u002F\"\n    rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener\"\n  >\n    \u003Cstrong>LinkedIn\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  \u003Cstrong>\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  or follow me on\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FMariusBongarts\"\n    rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener noopener\"\n  >\n    \u003Cstrong>Twitter\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  . Also, check out my\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchrome.google.com\u002Fwebstore\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n    rel=\"noopener\"\n  >\n    PDF & Web Highlighter Chrome\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  extension if you haven’t.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n","Marius Bongarts","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FMariusBongartsWeb","\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2022\u002F08\u002FIMG_7861_Square.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fmarius-bongarts.de\u002F","Founder & Software Engineer","https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FMariusBongarts",866,[47,80,96],{"id":48,"slug":49,"title":50,"description":51,"url":52,"publishedAt":53,"createdAt":54,"updatedAt":55,"featured":19,"readingTime":56,"tags":57,"imageUrl":60,"imageAlt":61,"faviconUrl":62,"publishedAtString":53,"category":63,"readTimeString":79},"688719cf8b4b770aa39407fc","my-simple-strategy-for-3-268-5-star-chrome-extension-reviews","My Simple Strategy for 3,268 5‑Star Chrome Extension Reviews","Get 37x more reviews than Grammarly with this simple strategy. Learn the Win-Ask Method to boost your Chrome extension ratings and user engagement.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fmy-simple-strategy-for-3-268-5-star-chrome-extension-reviews\u002F","2025-07-28T06:48:26.000+00:00","2025-07-28T06:33:51.000+00:00","2025-07-28T07:04:33.000+00:00",6,[58,26,23,59],"Marketing","Chrome Extension","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1633613286991-611fe299c4be?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHJhdGluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTM2ODQ0MzR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000","Five yellow star-shaped objects placed diagonally on a pink and blue background.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Ffavicon.ico",[64,72],{"type":36,"title":65,"shortTitle":35,"icon":66,"description":67,"excerpt":68,"thumbnail":69},"Behind the Scenes of Web Highlights","rocket","Hey 👋 I am Marius. I started Web Highlights in 2019 as a tool just for myself and have been working on it alone since then. Learn from my mistakes and stories right from the beginning how I grew the Chrome Extension to 250K users without any marketing costs.","These posts are the honest build log of Web Highlights: what worked, what hurt, and what I’d do again. If you care about indie products, Chrome extensions, or SEO-led growth, you’ll find practical lessons alongside the personal story.",{"url":70,"alt":71},"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fimages\u002Fme.png","Me, Marius Bongarts, in front of sea in Portugal, Algarve",{"type":73,"title":74,"shortTitle":75,"icon":76,"description":77,"excerpt":78},"productivity","Browser Productivity & Chrome Extensions","Productivity","command","Curated extension lists, focus workflows, and tips for getting more from Chrome—always with an eye toward reading, capture, and learning.","Productivity isn’t only task managers. These articles cover the browser layer: extensions that protect focus, comparisons that save you from dead-end tools, and setup tips that keep your reading and capture stack lightweight but powerful.","6 min read",{"id":81,"slug":82,"title":83,"description":84,"url":85,"publishedAt":86,"createdAt":87,"updatedAt":86,"featured":19,"readingTime":56,"tags":88,"imageUrl":90,"imageAlt":91,"faviconUrl":62,"publishedAtString":86,"category":92,"readTimeString":79},"671f386db98706751d677b5f","how-to-show-a-link-preview-on-any-website","How To Show A Beautiful Link Preview On Any Website","Easily add link previews to any website using the open-source Previewbox library. Works with any framework, fetching Open Graph data automatically.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-show-a-link-preview-on-any-website\u002F","2024-10-29T20:25:55.000+00:00","2024-10-28T07:08:29.000+00:00",[29,89],"SEO","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2024\u002F10\u002F0_dkKw8Q1T3dUhNBo7.jpg","Lake with mountains in background",[93,95],{"type":36,"title":65,"shortTitle":35,"icon":66,"description":67,"excerpt":68,"thumbnail":94},{"url":70,"alt":71},{"type":73,"title":74,"shortTitle":75,"icon":76,"description":77,"excerpt":78},{"id":97,"slug":98,"title":99,"description":100,"url":101,"publishedAt":102,"createdAt":103,"updatedAt":104,"featured":19,"readingTime":105,"tags":106,"imageUrl":108,"imageAlt":109,"faviconUrl":62,"publishedAtString":102,"category":110,"readTimeString":113},"66ed6878e07b961e2f231a8f","lessons-from-a-bamboo-tree-staying-motivated-on-my-side-project","Five Years to 100K Users: The Bamboo Tree Story for Side Project Growth","Discover how a bamboo tree can inspire solopreneurs to stay motivated on side projects. Learn the value of delayed gratification on the journey to success.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Flessons-from-a-bamboo-tree-staying-motivated-on-my-side-project\u002F","2024-09-22T20:17:54.000+00:00","2024-09-20T12:20:08.000+00:00","2024-09-24T07:00:43.000+00:00",7,[35,107,26,23],"Story","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2024\u002F09\u002F0_JjFAqJ78cyJMViqZ.webp","Tall Bamboo Tree",[111],{"type":36,"title":65,"shortTitle":35,"icon":66,"description":67,"excerpt":68,"thumbnail":112},{"url":70,"alt":71},"7 min read"]