Glossary/Give-first
Give-first — definition
Give-first is an exchange rule where you help someone else before you receive the same kind of help. On ProofSwap, you submit proof for another project, earn a credit when verified, and spend that credit when others help you — no cold “can you review me?” DMs required upfront.
Why it matters for indie developers
Cold outreach for testimonials fails because strangers owe you nothing. Give-first flips the social contract: you prove you are useful, then the network owes you a turn.
It also filters freeloaders. Markets that let people take without giving fill with ghost listings; give-first keeps participants who ship real tweets, testimonials, and write-ups.
Related terms
Go deeper: Read the ProofSwap definition and FAQ