How Kilo Code didn't launch on Product Hunt
When you start prepping a launch on Product Hunt, you may read here and there stories, how-tos, step-by-step guides, and playbooks. This is another, different story.
I had the opportunity to work with the @Kilo Code team on their launch. We ranked #1 Product of the Day and #1 OSS Product of the Week although we didn't apply most of the pro tips you may read on the Internet.
TL,DR
You don't need a 4-week plan
You don't need to launch on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
You don't need to cold outreach people
You don't need a 4-week plan
At Kilo Code, the focus is on speed. We started working on the topic 5 days before the launch. 5 days. We posted a thread in /p/kilocode and hosted a X Space.
You don't need to launch on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
According to hunted.space, Product Hunt has the highest traffic/visibility on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
We launched on a Sunday. Why? Because of the target audience. Kilo Code is targeting developers, and many of them are developers in and out of work, with hobby projects to experiment with a new language, framework, or tool.
You don't need to cold outreach people
We didn't send any direct messages. We did post and repost on existing channels:
Twitter/X
LinkedIn
Discord
Wrapping up
When launching Kilo Code on Product Hunt, we didn't check the lists you may find here and there. We didn't plan 4 weeks in advance. We didn't launch on a weekday or send direct messages. We kept it simple.
Results?
681 points
278 comments
#1 Product of the Day
#7 Product of the Week
#1 OSS Product of the Week, #2 Developer Tool of the Week
You may wonder what my #1 lesson learned from this launch is. Here's the secret:
Keep it simple, and enjoy your launch day.
Oh and one more thing. @Kilo Code is currently #2 OSS Product of the Month. Join the launch →
Update 2025-10-01: @Kilo Code is the #1 OSS Product of the Month! Thank you!
Replies
minimalist phone: creating folders
Super thread, thank you for sharing it in my comments! :)
Humans in the Loop
appreciate you, Nika!
Cal ID
Loved this @fmerian !
Clearly proves you don’t need to follow every other expert launch playbook to win. Sometimes, keeping it simple and authentic is the best launch strategy. Congrats to the team!
Humans in the Loop
@sanskarix exactly. thanks for your continuous support
Congratulations! Super easy to over think these things. All the best with your ongoing journey!
Humans in the Loop
Thanks, Theo! @Kilo Code is still in the running to be #1 OSS Product of the Month. Leave us an upvote →
Triforce Todos
Big respect for showing that a Sunday launch can work when you deeply understand your audience.
Humans in the Loop
Thank you, Abdul. For the record, there are more examples of developer tools launching on a weekend. Take @Zeabur (#1 Product of the Day) and @Trench (#3 Product of the Day). Both launched on a Sunday, too.
Humans in the Loop
Update: Experimenting with something new, launching @Kilo Code on a weekday. Join the launch!