Over the past two months, I’ve been building my first EdTech startup as a solo developer. The product is called LinkerTube, a platform that helps people learn English through real YouTube videos by turning subtitles into structured learning materials.
I started with a simple goal: make language learning less passive and more practical. But building a real product ended up teaching me far more than just coding skills.
Here are the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far.
1. Building the Product Is the Easy Part
At first, I assumed the hardest challenge would be technical: designing APIs, building databases, processing subtitles, integrating AI, and making search fast enough to handle large amounts of content. Surprisingly, these problems were manageable because code behaves predictably.
The harder part turned out to be product decisions. Figuring out what to build next, understanding what users actually need, staying motivated when growth is slow, and resisting the temptation to endlessly add features are much more difficult challenges. Code is deterministic, but product development is not.
2. Start Small and Ship Fast
My instinct in the beginning was to build everything before launch—user systems, vocabulary tracking, exercises, recommendations, analytics, polished UI, and mobile support. That approach would have delayed launch for months.
Instead, I released a minimal version that simply let users discover videos, read subtitles, and learn vocabulary from them. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. Shipping early helped me observe real user behavior, discover missing pieces, and prioritize improvements correctly. It also prevented me from spending time on features nobody actually needed. Perfect products rarely get released; usable ones do.
3. Real Content Beats Artificial Content
Many language-learning apps rely on scripted dialogues, but people often learn better from real content—interviews, tutorials, vlogs, documentaries, and podcasts. Real speech includes natural pacing, accents, slang, and authentic expressions that learners encounter in everyday life.
This insight shaped LinkerTube. Instead of inventing lessons, the platform organizes and enhances content people already enjoy watching. Learning becomes more effective when users feel like they are simply consuming interesting content rather than studying.
4. Distribution Matters as Much as Engineering
Another major lesson was realizing that building a great product isn’t enough if nobody discovers it. I started learning about programmatic SEO, internal linking, structured data, and topical authority. This changed how I view product development.
Creating content structures that search engines can understand is just as important as building backend systems. Distribution and discoverability are not marketing extras—they are part of product engineering.
5. AI Is Powerful, But Only With Structure
Adding AI-generated explanations initially sounded easy—just call an LLM and display the results. In reality, reliable AI features require structured prompts, data pipelines, caching, evaluation, and cost control. Without these, outputs become inconsistent and expensive.
AI works best when supported by strong system design rather than being treated as magic.
6. Solo Development Requires Energy Management
As a solo developer, you end up doing everything: backend, frontend, product design, infrastructure, SEO, support, and planning. It’s easy to burn out.
I learned to focus on small, consistent improvements instead of chasing perfection. Accepting imperfect releases, pacing work, and taking breaks when necessary helped maintain steady progress. Consistency beats occasional bursts of productivity.
7. Feedback Is More Valuable Than Praise
Early feedback can be uncomfortable. People may say they’re confused or don’t see the value. But honest criticism improves products much faster than compliments.
I now actively ask users what confused them, what would make them return, and what features feel missing. Users often reveal problems developers don’t notice.
8. Building in Public Creates Opportunities
Sharing progress on platforms like DEV, Reddit, and social media brought unexpected benefits—useful feedback, collaborations, backlinks, and early adopters. Developers are interested in real journeys, not just polished success stories.
Being transparent about the building process builds trust and opens doors.
What’s Next?
LinkerTube is still evolving. My goal is to help learners improve their English through content they already enjoy while providing structure that normal video watching lacks.
If you’re curious, you can try it here:
I’d love feedback from both developers and language learners about what features would make tools like this truly useful in daily learning.
Final Thought
Building a startup solo isn’t about writing perfect code. It’s about continuously learning, adapting quickly, and staying patient while progress compounds slowly. And honestly, that journey has been the most rewarding part.
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