What does “software-for-one” actually mean, and how is it different from building software for a market?
Software-for-one is a way of building tools that starts from a single, concrete reality: your own needs.
Instead of defining a target audience, researching competitors, or guessing what users might want, software-for-one begins with a problem you personally experience and want to solve well. The software is built for one person first. If others benefit later, that is secondary.
This approach is not new, but it has been largely overshadowed by market-driven development models. Recently, it has resurfaced as independent developers and small teams question whether building for scale should always come first.
Where the Software-for-One Philosophy Comes From
Historically, most software was software-for-one by default. Early personal computing tools were built to solve the creator’s own problems: managing files, writing text, calculating figures.
The shift toward market-first software came with:
Venture funding
App stores
Subscription economics
Growth-driven metrics
Software-for-one reclaims an earlier idea: that usefulness precedes adoption, and clarity precedes growth.
How Software-for-One Differs from MVP Thinking
At first glance, software-for-one can look similar to the idea of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). In practice, they are very different.
An MVP is designed to test a market.
Software-for-one is designed to serve a real workflow.
MVPs optimise for speed to feedback.
Software-for-one optimises for depth of usefulness.
This difference matters. MVPs often remain permanently incomplete because they are shaped by hypothetical users. Software-for-one tends to reach a stable, satisfying state because the builder knows when it genuinely works.
Why Software-for-One Works So Well for Independents
Independent developers do not have the resources to chase every possible use-case. Software-for-one gives them an advantage instead of a limitation.
When you build for yourself:
- Requirements are clear
- Trade-offs are obvious
- Decisions are faster
- Motivation is intrinsic
There is no translation layer between “what the user wants” and “what the software should do.” They are the same thing.
Real Examples of Software That Stayed Personal
Many powerful tools never became products:
Personal bookkeeping systems
Writing and research tools
Custom learning trackers
Internal admin utilities
They worked exceptionally well because they were never compromised by external expectations. Their success was measured by usefulness, not adoption.
Practical Task: Identify a Problem Only You Have
Write down one recurring annoyance, friction, or inefficiency in your own work.
Ask:
Does this problem exist regularly?
Do existing tools almost solve it—but not quite?
Would a small custom tool meaningfully help?
That problem is a strong candidate for software-for-one.
Practical Task: Define Success Without External Validation
Before building anything, write a sentence that completes this:
“This software is successful if it allows me to ________ without friction.”
No metrics. No users. Just usefulness.
Reframing Scale and Success
Software-for-one reframes success as adequacy, not expansion. A tool that quietly works for years without intervention can be more successful than one that scales quickly and collapses under its own complexity.
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