Stores & marketplaces

GitHub (README, topics, releases)

Good topics, a clear README with a demo and tagged releases do much of the work.

Visit github.com
Cost
Free

Free to use. No paid tier is needed to list or post.

Verdict
works

Works: a clear README and good topics do much of the work for open-source tools.

Difficulty
Easy

Mostly self-serve. Sign up and post, with light checks.

Effort
Medium

About 5 to 10 hours a month.

First result
1 day to set up, stars take months

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Compounds

keeps growing while you keep at it.

Best for

Open-source projects.

Not for

Closed-source products.

Pros

  • Topics and README do much of the work
  • Free

Cons

  • Stars take months
  • Only for public code

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · All links answer

01What it is and who is there

For open-source projects, GitHub itself is a distribution channel. Developers find repositories through search, topics, trending pages and links from other repos. A clear README, the right topics and regular tagged releases do much of the work of a landing page. Stars build slowly but signal trust to new visitors.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

Public repositories are free. Your cost is writing a good README and maintaining the project.

03Is it right for you?

It fits open-source projects, developer tools with public code, and SDKs. It fits poorly for closed-source products. If you are not ready to answer issues, open-sourcing can hurt trust.

04Before you start

  • A README with: what it does in one sentence, a demo GIF, install steps, a short example and a license.
  • Topics that match what developers search for.
  • A license file and contributing guide.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Write the README for a first-time visitor; put the demo near the top.
  2. Add 5 to 10 relevant topics.
  3. Tag releases with clear notes.
  4. Add a website link and social preview image.
  5. Answer issues and review pull requests promptly.
  6. Share releases on X, Hacker News and relevant communities.

06What to post or submit

README opening:

# [Project]
[What it does, in one sentence].
[Demo GIF]
## Install
[command]
## Quick start
[example]

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not buy stars; it breaks GitHub's terms.
  • Do not leave issues unanswered for months.
  • Do not commit secrets.

08How to measure it

  • Track stars, clones and referrers in repository insights.
  • Track installs from your registry.
  • A realistic test: three months of regular releases.

09Time budget

  • Before: 2 to 5 hours on README and setup.
  • Ongoing: 2 to 6 hours a month.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources