Live community map — updated as founders list products
Where to promote your open source project
Stars don't come from posting your GitHub link — they come from the rooms where developers look for tools. Here's the map.
6
Communities mapped
2
Platforms covered
6
Curated communities
The short answer
Open source discovery happens in r/opensource, r/github, and r/coolgithubprojects on Reddit, plus Lobsters, Hacker News, and the GitHub Community forum. The winning post format is 'I built X because Y' — the problem story — with the repo link inside, not a bare 'check out my project'.
Subreddits where open source users hang out
Forums open source users actually read
How to actually reach open source users
Write the problem story, not the feature list
'I got tired of X, so I built Y' is the highest-performing OSS post format. Developers adopt tools born from a pain they also feel.
The README is the landing page
Every community post funnels to the repo. If the README doesn't answer 'what is this and why do I care' in 5 seconds, the traffic converts to nothing.
Stars follow usage, not the other way
A great first issue pulls a contributor; a contributor pulls ten stars. Optimize the repo for contribution — good docs, labeled issues — not vanity metrics.
Products that sell to open source users
Your buyers are in these rooms.
List your product on OnlyFoundrs and we map exactly where its customers hang out — subreddits, Discords, and communities checked for dead links. Free, live in minutes.
Common questions
Where can I promote my open source project?
r/coolgithubprojects and r/opensource on Reddit, Lobsters, Show HN, and the GitHub Community forum. The repo README is what converts the traffic.
How do open source projects get their first users?
Through problem-fit posts: 'I built X because Y annoyed me' in communities where that annoyance is shared. Stars follow adoption, not announcement volume.
Is Show HN good for open source?
The best single launch for OSS — 'Show HN: open-source X' is a proven format and the audience stars liberally when the project solves a real dev pain.
How do I get contributors, not just stars?
Label good first issues, write contribution docs, and answer issues fast. Communities like GitHub Community and relevant language subs surface projects that look welcoming.