Glossary/Building in public
Building in public — definition
Building in public means sharing the real process of shipping a product — revenue, setbacks, launches, and learnings — usually on X, Indie Hackers, or a newsletter. The audience watches the journey; trust and social proof accumulate before the product is “finished.”
Why it matters for indie developers
For solo founders, build-in-public posts double as marketing and accountability. Followers who watched you struggle are more likely to try the product and leave testimonials when you ask.
Public building also creates assets you can exchange: tweets, screenshots, and peer shoutouts. Pair it with give-first proof swaps so your visibility compounds beyond your own audience.
Related terms
Go deeper: Read: building in public as social proof