RedNote is the new-generation App Store?

Let me tell you about these amazing indie developers and their apps. As a tech enthusiast, I'm always excited to discover these hidden gems from developers who haven't been featured on RedNote yet.

After refreshing a few times, I get this feeling - wow, these developers are just so talented! They're creating everything themselves, it's incredible.

Looking at my phone's home screen, I realize I haven't even scratched the surface of what's possible. Maybe I should write a "Food Diary" or "Health Tech" app too.

Let me open my laptop...

You know how it is - working from home, clocking in and out. But it's too easy to get caught up in distractions. What to do?

Some people work a regular job while keeping an eye on their side hustle, watching their savings grow. That's pretty smart.

I'm feeling inspired now.

Let me tell you about this couple I know.

They built this amazing app where couples can share their daily status and location through RedNote notes, even when they can't be together. It's like poetry in motion, or maybe more like a love letter to technology.

If all these developers can make it work, then maybe I can too, right?

Looking at their success, they're working hard every day. These developers are really making it happen, and I want to be part of this wave too.

Just like that developer who created a small app to record their daily status and mood, helping couples stay connected even when they're apart. It's brilliant - writing poetry through code, creating something beautiful.

If everyone could just focus on their work like that...

I could write code for 10 minutes without getting distracted. That would be a huge improvement.

Some couples solve their relationship issues by creating a focus app together. That's their goal, and they're making it happen.

The real question is, what's the key? Their method is simple: "Just focus on what you're doing, and everything else will fall into place." Of course, developers can use this too. "Focus Timer" - that's what I'll call my app.

Hmm... I'm getting carried away.

True, these apps are really impressive, but they're not impossible to create.

I've seen quite a few success stories.

Looking at these apps, they're not just about getting into the App Store's top charts. The RedNote notes, the user interactions, they're all part of something bigger.

That's when I realized - wow, these new developers are really wild! They're so different from the traditional developers I'm used to.

They just do whatever they want, and they make it happen.

Fortunately, I've also been lucky enough to see these amazing indie developers' work. Let me tell you about their team's story.

I'm so happy, what else could I need?

Take "Stomach Diary" - the developer's source code is open, and it's become a community where developers share their experiences. For example, they discuss writing novels.

The developer of "Cat Notes" - one of my favorite developers - is really talented. They created this beautiful "Cat Notes" interface, something I never thought I'd see in a product before.

You know what? These developers are all super talented, and I'm starting to feel a bit jealous of their abilities.

I think AI is taking over, and traditional developers are getting left behind. One app after another is succeeding.

Speaking of which, there's another app that's becoming a huge success. The key isn't just about having great features - it's about who can truly understand their users.

These developers have different content, different perspectives, and different ways of thinking. From traditional programmers to indie developers, we're seeing opportunities we've never seen before.

Plus, with different content, it's easier to connect with users and build something that lasts.

Looking at these organized, successful developers, their RedNote notes, their app icons - they're not just code, they're like they've had a few drinks and are feeling inspired.

Your app is like a work of art, even the packaging is beautiful.

"Thank you" - they're all saying thank you in Chinese, showing their love for Chinese culture. They're even drinking and participating in these amazing photos.

It's hilarious, they're all laughing and joking, just repeatedly saying "xie xie."

There's this global developer who's already turned their small app into a diary.

I went to check their profile, their GitHub is too clean, I went there to see their code, but occasionally I find myself learning something.

You might see what's left, but you don't need to worry about user feedback, bug fixes, or anything like that.

Isn't this getting a bit backwards?

Actually, it's not - it's just a change in how developers think, a new habit, a new way of doing things.

From what I've observed, when users report bugs, as long as they're not repetitive, developers will fix everything. They're like customer service representatives.

Before, when I was using a Mac, I'd refresh the developer's page, and it would become a ritual. Now they quickly respond, "Got it."

A small bug in the user's daily records becomes a small story for the developer to see and fix.

Some developers are still updating their records, spending their time.

The "Cat Notes" developer even takes time to thank users and respond to their feedback. They fixed a bug and said "Bug fixed," but they also added "Thank you" and "I love you" - they know how to make users feel special.

There's this OG developer (the one who made the clock app, Tolecen) who's also feeling the small app vibe, they're all in. Full interaction mode.

Writing this, I have a question:

Why are these App developers all making small apps, not big commercial ones?

Honestly, I'm not a small app person either. In our past impressions, it was all about big tech companies and their grand visions.

Suddenly, it's become many developers' big business.

It feels like we've jumped straight into 2077, everything's so different.

In the developer community, the old ways seem to have disappeared.

Now they say the distance between users and developers is gone.

Users don't have a simple App anymore - they don't know what bugs to report, what features to request, they don't know what to say.

Many features aren't even bugs, they just need to get through the App Store review, and they're good to go.

Sometimes when developers respond, they just say "Thank you" and then carefully explain the bug.

Back and forth, too much hassle, no one wants to give feedback on products anymore. Users are getting further away.

Besides, these developers have another advantage - they're still developers at heart.

The platform's ecosystem, the App market's ecosystem is too harsh, we need more openness.

After all, getting featured on the App Store is hard, and these small platforms, even if they're recommended, don't get much attention.

Investing in big platforms? How much money do you have?

After a few years of small apps, suddenly they're taking their products to the next level, quickly gaining a loyal user base.

Like "Cat Notes" - it was directly featured as a recommended app, with a limit of 8 notes, but they said "This is the best I can do, I'm working overtime."

A week after the App launch, they started sharing their initial hopes - no one could share cat photos, the cat note feature wasn't working.

The initial response was overwhelming - 2000 users trying to share their cat photos.

Let's add more features.

Looking at "Stomach Diary" before launch, they were already a must-have App platform. "Stomach Diary" users' notes, over 10,000 words.

Stress Watch's internal notes are on fire, everyone's sharing their experiences.

In these note-sharing and comment sections, there's a group of users who feel like they're part of the product team, wanting to be involved in the product's growth.

Before, there was this developer who made a meditation App, they didn't have any users, but they ended up with 400 paying users.

In comparison, I think we're just shareholders getting dividends. Haha.

We're just starting to see what's possible - some people are still focused on small things, but users are going to design products.

Once there's a match, the product's growth rate is pretty high.

After "Stomach Diary," "Standby US," and other Apps' user groups grew, they quickly made it to the App Store's top charts. "Cat Notes" launched a paid version and quickly made it to the App Store's paid charts too.

Besides, I've noticed that for indie developers, small apps are a rich source of inspiration.

Our products aren't just about sharing screenshots and getting users - we're building something that provides support. We're building what we all own.

This isn't just about UGC content - small apps are creating a wave of new possibilities.