DEV Community: Samir Adel

Want to Save Your MVP Budget? Scope First, Build Later.

Samir Adel — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:17:32 +0000

Too many founders jump into building their MVP with excitement—and end up rebuilding it again, just a few weeks later.

Why? Because they started coding (or no-coding) before scoping.

At Prime Dev, I help founders avoid that mistake by doing one thing first:

👉 We define what matters before we build anything.

🚫 The Mistake Most Founders Make

Instead of asking “What’s the one thing our app must do on day one?”, founders often ask:

“What features should we add?”

“Can we build a dashboard?”

“What if users want X too?”

This leads to bloated MVPs, longer timelines, and wasted budget.

✅ What ‘Scoping First’ Looks Like

Before you touch Glide, Webflow, or custom code—ask:

Who is using this?
What exactly do they want to achieve?
What’s the one action they need to do successfully?
What’s absolutely critical for them to get value?

From there, your MVP is obvious.

🛠️ A Real Example

A founder I worked with wanted to build a full platform for tracking expenses via banking APIs.

We scoped it down to a simple budgeting app that accepts uploaded CSVs first, saving 6+ weeks of development and letting users onboard faster.

The feedback?

“This is exactly what I needed. I would have never used the full version yet.”

🧠 My Simple MVP Scoping Checklist

[ ] Who is the one user we’re targeting?
[ ] What is the one action that gives them value?
[ ] What is the smallest feature set that makes that action possible?
[ ] What can wait for version 2?

If you can check those four, you’re ready to build.

💬 How I Help at Prime Dev

I specialize in no-code MVPs using Glide and Webflow.

But before we build, I help you scope your MVP like a product manager—not just a developer.

From idea to launch in weeks
Based on what users actually need
Built lean, tested early

📬 Want Help?

I help founders scope and build no-code MVPs with speed and clarity.

👉 Book a free MVP strategy call: https://calendly.com/samir-prime-dev/30min
💬 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samir-adel
🐦 DM me on X: x.com/samircs

Let’s save your time, budget, and momentum before you waste it.

How I Turned Years of Freelancing Into a No-Code Agency That Delivers MVPs Fast

Samir Adel — Tue, 27 May 2025 11:33:39 +0000

After years of freelancing and building products for others, I finally decided to turn my solo experience into something official— Prime Dev.

🛠️ At Prime Dev, I help startups and solo founders launch their MVPs and landing pages fast, without bloated timelines or crazy budgets.

My stack:

Glide for building internal tools and early-stage apps
Webflow for high-converting, beautiful landing pages
Custom web apps when Glide/Webflow don’t cover it

✅ I’ve built:

A personal budgeting tool on Glide
Several Webflow landing pages (including my own at samir.prime-dev.net)
A client-facing CMS and internal exams portal for Bayan Group (KSA)
And a SaaS MVP: Mock-API.net

💬 Whether you're starting your first SaaS, validating an idea, or need help transforming a notion into a working product—I’d love to connect.

📫 Contact me anytime:

Email: samir@prime-dev.net
Book a call: https://calendly.com/samir-prime-dev/30min
DM me: LinkedIn / X

Let's ship something valuable together 🚀

5 reasons why I migrated to PayPal instead of Stripe for Mock-API.net

Samir Adel — Thu, 08 May 2025 13:42:27 +0000

5 reasons why I migrated to PayPal instead of Stripe for https://Mock-API.net

When I first launched Mock-API.net, I chose Stripe for its developer-friendly API and robust subscription support. But very quickly I hit a roadblock: Stripe requires a registered legal entity before you can collect any payments. For a one-person indie project still testing product-market fit, that barrier just didn’t make sense.

Switching to PayPal was a game-changer. Here are the five key reasons I decided to make the move:

1. No legal entity required

PayPal lets you collect recurring payments using just your personal account. No incorporation, no paperwork, no delay—my users could subscribe the same day I flipped the switch.

2. Built-in subscription plans

Setting up a “$5/month Unlimited Mock APIs” plan in PayPal took under five minutes. Everything from trial periods to billing cycles is configurable in the dashboard—no extra code or third-party plugins needed.

3. Familiar brand & user trust

Many developers already have PayPal accounts. Seeing a familiar checkout flow increases confidence, reduces drop-off, and ultimately leads to more conversions, especially on day one when I had zero marketing momentum.

4. Lower transaction fees for small volumes

With just a handful of early adopters, PayPal’s fee structure (2.9% + $0.30) ended up slightly cheaper for my low-volume setup. That extra margin helps me reinvest in the product.

5. Rapid integration & maintenance

Switching over took under an hour. I simply swapped my payment button, updated a few environment variables, and tested the webhook flow. Maintaining the integration has been just as painless—PayPal’s dashboard handles the heavy lifting.

Switching to PayPal unlocked revenue from my very first users—no legal entity required, zero friction, and a trusted checkout experience. If you’re building a side project or MVP and need to start charging fast, give PayPal a try!

🙏 Got questions or feedback on my migration journey?

Join the conversation on Discord → https://discord.gg/4bwHEUKktJ
Follow my build-in-public story on Twitter → https://x.com/samircs

Happy hacking! 🚀

Mocky.io vs. Mock-API.net: Which Mock API Tool Fits Your Workflow?

Samir Adel — Sat, 03 May 2025 05:47:20 +0000

Both Mocky.io and Mock-API.net let you spin up mock APIs in seconds—but they serve very different needs. Mocky.io is the zero-friction, anonymous tool for one-off testing, while Mock-API.net is built for growing teams who need persistence, metrics, and (soon) collaboration.

Instant, Anonymous Mocks with Mocky.io

No signup, no projects. Create a mock endpoint instantly via a simple form—no account required. Lose the URL and you lose the mock.
Static responses only. JSON/XML bodies, custom status codes, headers—no scripting or dynamic logic.
No analytics. Perfect for quick tests, demos, or throw-away responses, but not for long-term workflows.

Structured, Team-Ready Mocks with Mock-API.net

Account & Dashboard. Sign up to manage all your mocks in one place, with persistent URLs you can revisit anytime.
Project scaffolding. Organize mocks into named projects (coming soon) so nothing gets lost.
API-call metrics. Track raw call counts and response times today; add alerting and rate-limits in future releases.
Collaboration on the horizon. Team-invite and shared-project features are under development—get early access and shape the roadmap.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Mocky.io	Mock-API.net
Signup/Login	❌ None	✅ Required
Project Organization	❌ Flat, 1-off mocks	🔄 Multi-project (soon)
Team Invites	❌ N/A	🔄 Coming soon
Dynamic Templating	❌ Static only	🔄 Coming soon
API-call Metrics	❌ None	✅ Available today
Rate Limiting	❌ Unlimited	⚙ Planned for future
Persistence	❌ Ephemeral URLs	✅ Persistent dashboard
Pricing	💰 Free & unlimited	💰 Free tier + paid plans

Which Tool Should You Use?

Quick, disposable tests → Mocky.io: Spin up a mock in seconds with zero setup.
Long-term projects & teams → Mock-API.net: Manage mocks, track usage, and prepare for collaboration.

Questions, feature ideas, or war stories?

💬 Join the Discord → https://discord.gg/nyVkqnBk

Follow my #buildinpublic journey → https://x.com/samircs

Every bit of feedback shapes the roadmap—thanks for reading! ✨

Published on Dev.to by Samir Adel, Freelance Business Analyst & Maker.

Mock APIs in 60 Seconds: A Quick Guide for Front‑End Devs

Samir Adel — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:12:44 +0000

Mock APIs in 60 Seconds 🚀

(No terminal, no backend, just four clicks)

Register / Log in at https://mock-api.net – the dashboard opens instantly.
In the sidebar click “➕ Add API”.
Fill the form:

Field	Example
Request name	`Todos list`
Relative path	`/todos`
Folder	`demo` (or type a new folder to group your APIs)
Response body

[
  { "id": 1, "title": "Write blog" },
  { "id": 2, "title": "Drink coffee" }
]

Click Save – you land on the API profile page.
Hit the copy icon to grab the live URL:

https://mock-api.net/api/demo/todos

Drop that URL into Postman, fetch from your React/Vue app, or share it with a teammate. Done in under a minute.

Why this crushes “waiting-for-backend” blues

Parallel velocity – front-end keeps shipping while the server is still a Trello card.
QA automation – deterministic responses beat flaky staging DBs.
Demo power – stakeholders see real flows on demo day, not static mocks.

Questions, feature ideas, or war stories?

💬 Join the Discord → https://discord.gg/nyVkqnBk

Follow my #buildinpublic journey → https://x.com/samircs

Every bit of feedback shapes the roadmap—thanks for reading! ✨

Revamped Mock-API.net: Simplifying API Mocking for Developers

Samir Adel — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 12:56:46 +0000

Hello Dev Community!

I'm excited to announce that we've recently revamped our landing page at Mock-API.net, and we can't wait for you to check it out! 🎉

What is Mock-API.net?

Mock-API.net is a powerful tool designed to make API mocking easy and efficient. Whether you're a frontend developer needing a quick API response or a backend developer testing your endpoints, our tool provides a seamless experience for all your mocking needs.

What's New?

Enhanced User Experience: We've reimagined the user interface to make navigation and usage as intuitive as possible. Our new design ensures you can get started quickly and find everything you need effortlessly.
Quick API Creation: Creating mock APIs has never been faster. With our revamped interface, you can set up and manage your mock APIs in just a few clicks.
Improved Performance: We’ve optimized the backend to provide faster response times and a more reliable service overall.

Why Use Mock-API.net?

Streamlined Development: Focus on your application logic while we handle the mock API responses.
Efficient Testing: Test your frontend without waiting for backend development to catch up.
Team Collaboration: Easily share mock APIs with your team for consistent development environments.

We'd love for you to give it a try and let us know what you think. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to improve the tool. Head over to Mock-API.net and start mocking your APIs today!

Happy coding!

Simplify API Mocking and Testing with Mock-API: Your New Development Companion!

Samir Adel — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 10:18:28 +0000

Hey developers!

Are you tired of the complexities of API mocking and testing? Say hello to Mock-API, your ultimate solution for simplifying the API development process.

With https://Mock-API.net, you can effortlessly create mock APIs, organize them into folders, and seamlessly test your applications without relying on external services. Our intuitive interface and flexible features make it easy for developers of all levels to mock and test APIs efficiently.

Key Features:
✅ Easily create mock APIs and organize them into folders.
✅ Seamlessly integrate with your development workflow.
✅ Test your applications with ease using mock responses.
✅ Flexible and user-friendly interface for smooth navigation.

Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, Mock-API is designed to streamline your API mocking and testing tasks. Try it out today and revolutionize your development process!

Website: https://Mock-API.net

We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback! Let's simplify API development together.