Why today’s tech environment makes building in public more exhausting than empowering — and what developers can do instead.

I saw a tweet last week from a fellow developer who boldly declared that “Building in public in 2025 sucks!” It got me thinking — what’s changed? Just a few years ago, building in public was the golden ticket for indie developers and startup founders. Everyone was sharing their revenue dashboards, development progress, and behind-the-scenes stories to great fanfare.

So why the sudden shift in sentiment? After diving into this topic, I think I understand the frustration.

The Golden Age is Over

Building in public had its moment. In the early 2020s, it felt fresh and authentic. Developers like Pieter Levels, makers on Indie Hackers, and countless Twitter builders were sharing everything — their code commits, revenue milestones, even their failures. The community was smaller, more intimate, and genuinely supportive.

But like all good things on the internet, it got saturated. What was once genuine transparency became performative theater. Now everyone’s “building in public,” and the signal-to-noise ratio has plummeted.

The Dark Side Emerges

Your Competitors Are Taking Notes

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: when you share your metrics, strategies, and operational details publicly, you’re essentially giving competitors access to your playbook. They can steal your ideas, refine them, and potentially gain an advantage over you.

That innovative feature you’re working on? That clever marketing strategy that’s driving growth? Your unique positioning in the market? All of it becomes public knowledge the moment you hit “tweet.” It only takes one motivated competitor to cause real damage.

The Relatability Problem

As your success grows, your audience may find it harder to relate to your journey. What started as an inspiring underdog story can become difficult for people to connect with once you’re clearly successful.

Pat Flynn, one of the pioneers of income reporting, eventually stopped sharing his numbers for exactly this reason. When your “transparent journey” turns into humble-bragging about six-figure months, you’ve lost the plot.

The Content Treadmill

Building in public creates an insatiable content monster. Your audience expects constant updates, behind-the-scenes content, and emotional transparency. What starts as authentic sharing becomes a full-time content creation job.

As a developer, I want to spend my time building great software — not crafting the perfect “here’s what I learned this week” thread for Twitter.

The 2025 Reality Check

The internet landscape has changed dramatically since building in public first gained popularity:

• Information Overload: Everyone’s sharing everything. Your authentic journey gets lost in a sea of similar stories.
• Algorithm Fatigue: Social platforms prioritize engagement over authenticity, pushing creators toward clickbait.
• Copycat Culture: The moment something works, it’s copied endlessly. Innovation gets commoditized.
• Privacy Concerns: We’re more aware than ever of the value of our data. Sharing everything publicly can feel reckless.

When Building in Public Still Makes Sense

I’m not saying building in public is completely dead. It can still work, but the context matters:

• Early Stage Validation: Transparency can help gather feedback and build an early audience.
• Educational Content: Sharing lessons learned — without giving away strategy — builds authority.
• Community Building: Transparency can build trust in niche or mission-driven communities.

The key is being strategic about what you share — and why.

The Smarter Approach

Instead of building completely in public, consider a shift toward “building in community.” This means:

• Share selectively with trusted peers and mentors.
• Build relationships with developers and entrepreneurs in private spaces.
• Focus on product and customer development over audience development.
• Document your journey for yourself first — public consumption second.

The Bottom Line

That developer’s tweet resonated because many of us are feeling the same fatigue. Building in public promised connection and growth, but often delivered anxiety and competitive risk.

The most successful developers I know today are quietly building great products, focusing on their customers, and sharing thoughtfully — not constantly. They’ve realized that the best marketing is building something people love, not performing a journey for an audience that may never convert.

Maybe it’s time to close the laptop on building in public and open it on building great software instead.

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Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you pulled back from building in public? Are you navigating similar challenges?

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Thanks for reading — and keep building smart.