What is an Indie Hacker?
An indie hacker builds and grows profitable software businesses solo or with a tiny team. No VC funding, no bosses. Here's what it takes.
An indie hacker is someone who builds and grows software products independently—usually solo or with a tiny team—without venture capital or traditional corporate backing.
Core principles:
- Self-funded. Bootstrap your way using savings, side income, or revenue from the product itself.
- Profitable, not just growing. The goal is sustainable income, not unicorn valuations.
- Lean operations. One person handling product, marketing, support, and growth.
- Freedom-focused. Work from anywhere, on your own schedule, on problems you care about.
What indie hackers typically build:
- SaaS tools
- Mobile apps
- Chrome extensions
- Content sites with subscriptions
- Micro-products (templates, courses, APIs)
Where they hang out:
- Indie Hackers community
- X/Twitter (#buildinpublic, #indiehackers)
- Hacker News
The movement exploded because cloud infrastructure, AI tools, and boilerplates like VibeFast Pro make it possible for one person to build what used to require a team of 10.
If you're reading this, you're probably one of us. Welcome.