About
I'm Alex, a software engineer with 8 years of experience, shipping from Romania under the name Alex Cloudstar. Build Until Viral is a public challenge I'm running: ship a new micro-app every week, on a $0 budget, until one of them, or the series itself, actually takes off.
Why This Exists
I've shipped a lot of apps over the years. At one point I took a six-month break because I kept shipping and nothing landed: a payment here, a handful of users there, never enough to build an audience around. Someone on X asked why I kept jumping between apps instead of sticking to one. I didn't have a good answer, so instead of fighting that pattern, I built a challenge around it.
The Rules
- $0 budget. Free tiers only, no paid marketing, no paid hosting.
- A new micro-app every week. No exceptions.
- No database by default. Apps use local storage to keep builds fast.
- When something gets real traction, that's the one. I stop shipping new apps and focus on it.
Follow Along
I post an update every time a new micro-app ships. The blog has the full write-ups, starting with Day 0. If you want updates directly, add your email or X handle to the wall of supporters on the homepage.