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 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, the focus is . We started working on the topic 5 days before the launch. 5 days. We posted a thread in and hosted a

You don't need to launch on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday

According to , Product Hunt has the highest traffic/visibility on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

We launched on a Sunday. Why? Because of the target audience. 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 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. is currently #2 OSS Product of the Month.

Update 2025-10-01: is the #1 OSS Product of the Month! Thank you!

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Super thread, thank you for sharing it in my comments! :)

appreciate you, Nika!

Loved this !

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!

 exactly. thanks for your continuous support

Congratulations! Super easy to over think these things. All the best with your ongoing journey!

Thanks, Theo! is still in the running to be #1 OSS Product of the Month.

Update: Experimenting with something new, launching on a weekday.

I've spent a lot of time overthinking even the simplest launches, but I've come to realize that it's not necessary to stress over every detail. What truly matters is understanding your product, knowing your audience, and identifying where your audience can connect with you.