Being a solo developer is hard, but the fruits you harvest at the end of the day are so sweet and inspiring that you keep on doing what you love, whatever it takes. 

In this blog, I will discuss the challenges faced by being a solo developer, the triumphs one can achieve, and some strategies that will help overcome these challenges. Also, at the end, I will tell some stories of great solo developers who have conquered the odds and made a name and fortune.

Fasten your seatbelts, and let's go on the journey of a solo developer!

# The Challenges Faced by Solo Developers

## Lack of resources and support

![a poor young man needing help](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fpoor.jpg)

Personally, I think it's better to spend money on food than on an online course. Being a solo developer, you really don't have a budget allocated for online tutorials, development resources, and some know-it-all beginner courses.

I remember when I was just beginning to build my first game back in 2020, during the pandemic. I still didn't have a computer at that time.

But the thing is, I really want to build a game. Believe it or not, my passion is so immense that I developed a game using just my Android phone. After completing the game, I posted it on the IndieDev forum on Reddit. You can check out the post [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndieDev/comments/j733s7/ive_created_a_very_simple_game_using_my_phone_its/).

It's really not advisable to develop a game or app using just your phone. My lack of resources at that time, working solo, forced me to develop without a computer.

## Time management and workload

![woman having a lot of workload](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fworkload.jpg)

If you're just beginning to learn how to develop software like a website or an app, then there's a lot you need to learn. If you search the internet for `how to learn software development`, you will see tons of materials from different websites.

How will you manage learning this when, perhaps, you still have a responsibility at home? For students, you're still studying at school and have homework to do. For those who have a job, how will you juggle your work and passion for software development?

Developing a software by yourself takes a lot of time. For instance, completing a simple game would take you months or even years.

## Decision-making and problem-solving

![a man looking at a whiteboard planning](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fplanning.jpg)

You have to expect that by working solo, you will need to make critical decisions alone. Planning and designing a website are all yours. Implementing and testing it depends on your decision alone.

You don't have a team to rely on when your code is not working. So it's really hard to fix a bug in your code when you don't have anyone to ask.

# The Great Thing About Being A Solo Developer

##  Independence and creative freedom

![A man standing on a hill looking at a mountain range](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Ffree.jpg)

> The world is your oyster.

The good thing about being a solo developer is that you are your own boss. You have no one to follow orders. You just need yourself and your wild imagination to create applications.

You have the freedom to experiment as much as you want without fear of making mistakes.

## Mastery and growth

![writing be creative in a paper](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fcreative.jpg)

You are in a position to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead by working solo. 

If you have chosen a certain track to master, like game development, then endless possibilities arise from that decision.

You can develop your own style of game that you haven't seen in games published today. That is a good way to enhance your skills and, at the same time, help you become a well-rounded developer.

## Personal satisfaction and achievements 

![a man jumping with joy](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fachievement.jpg)

There's no greater feeling than completing the development of a game or a website after so many weeks and months of struggle and head banging against the wall. 

The personal satisfaction is so immense that even though you have built some crappy `todo list app` or a `pong` clone, you are so proud to announce your achievement to the world.

Much more when someone praises your work. You can feel a sense of completeness within yourself.

And I'm still not talking about the monetary rewards that you will get from publishing your work online. Even just a dollar that you get from your work feels like you have won a million dollars in the lottery. *It feels amazing!*

# Strategies to Overcome Challenges

## Engaging with developer communities 

![a team of developers holding hands together](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fcommunity.jpg)

When I say solo developer, it doesn't mean that you're truly alone. Believe it or not, there are a lot of solo developers around the world working to achieve their own goals.

Once in a while, it's helpful to engage with other developers if you're stuck in a rut. There are a lot of communities online that will guide you along your developer journey. 

## Seeking mentorship and guidance 

![mentorship](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fmentor.jpg)

When I was developing games before, I would usually go to [gamedev](https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/) on Reddit to get guidance along the path of developing games. I looked for some free resources or assets that would help me build my game. 

Sometimes, I will ask for some advice on how to publish a game online as a beginner. To my surprise, many developers are willing to answer your question and even share their own predicament.

I once posted about [Life of an Indie developer is hard](https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/p9w0bo/life_of_an_indie_developer_is_hard/), and it garnered a lot of attention. Some offered very good advice on how to develop, publish, and market your game. While others bought my game and donated a lot of money. Awesome, right?

## Time management techniques 

![a clock between two different colors](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Ftime-management.jpg)

When developing a project, it is important to set realistic goals. For example, if you're developing a rock, paper, scissors game, you have to make it simple and not overcomplicate things. You have to nail the overall mechanics of the game first. 

***Don't add unnecessary features that will take a lot of your time.***

You must prioritize the necessary elements for your app to work within a given timeframe that you set for yourself and focus less on additional features. 

***It is also important to take a break once in awhile to prevent burnout.***

## Continuous learning and self-improvement

![a girl reading](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Freading.jpg)

There are a lot of tutorials online. But the question is, which tutorial is worthy of your time, money, and effort?

If you want to learn web development, then for me, [thenetninja](https://www.youtube.com/@NetNinja) on Youtube is one of the best. The way he explains some topics in web development is so simple and easily understandable for beginners. He has a tutorial for every topic in web development.

For game development, look no more;  [Brackeys](https://www.youtube.com/@Brackeys) is the best! Though he has already left YouTube, his videos are still gold and applicable to today's game development. Especially if you're learning with the Unity game engine.

***Don't ever stop learning! If you hit a wall today, surely tomorrow won't be the same.***

When I encounter a problem while developing, I usually stop and rest for a while. I go out for a walk and think about how to solve the problem. 

If I still don't know the solution, I call it a day. After a good night's sleep, the solution to my problem will somehow come to me. *All is well.*

# Inspiring Success Stories of Solo Developers

## Real-life examples of solo developers who overcame the challenges

![stardew valley screenshot](https://pub-9c57eec207bf46e8acf2f916d8ea29e7.r2.dev/solodevhub%2Fchallenges%2Fstardew_valley.png)

In indie game development, there was this guy named `ConcernedApe` who developed a game by himself for `four and a half` years. Imagine the time and effort he must have invested in that game.

The game I was talking about is the famous [Stardew Valley](https://www.stardewvalley.net/), which, by May 2022, had sold over 20 million copies across all platforms. 

> The solo developer, Eric Barone, aka `ConcernedApe`, is estimated to have earned $30 million from `Stardew Valley`. 

*So awesome, right?*

Another one is Toby Fox, who is the creator of [Undertale](https://undertale.com/), an indie role-playing game that garnered widespread acclaim for its innovative gameplay mechanics and storytelling. 

> By October 2020, Undertale had reportedly made $26.7 million off Steam sales on PC alone. 

*That is a huge financial success.*

Even you can do it if you put in enough time, effort, and determination into developing your software. I have also published a game on Steam, [Legend of Labot: the Golden Pearl](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1753160/Legend_of_Labot_The_Golden_Pearl/#:~:text=Legend%20of%20Labot%3A%20The%20Golden%20Pearl%20is%20an%20action%20roguelike,relaxing%20nature%2Dinspired%20tropical%20setting!), as a solo developer. It didn't have the same success as the games I mentioned above, but I learned a lot while developing that game. It's enough motivation for me to continue on the path of solo development.

## Conclusion <a name="conclusion"></a>
You see, being a software developer is hard, but at the end of the day, the amount of time and effort you invest will determine the outcome of your projects. 

Whatever problems or bugs you face while developing, remember that there is always a solution. 

So whatever projects you have aimed to develop while working solo, you just have to believe in yourself and never stop developing. Together, we will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Cheers!

*If you have some questions or want to discuss something on your journey, feel free to comment below or reach out to me. Thank you, and good luck!*