Hi dev.to community! 👋
I recently finished building my first indie macOS app, TransMov, and wanted to share the development journey, challenges, and lessons learned — especially for other independent developers who might be tackling small workflow-focused tools.
The Problem
When I was working on my previous app, I needed some animation assets. APNG turned out to be a good choice, and we also experimented with Lottie animations. However:
- Professional tools like After Effects are expensive, complex, and not always accessible, especially in certain regions like China.
- Video editing apps like CapCut support background removal, but export options are limited (MP4/MOV/GIF).
- AI tools like Lovart allow background removal, but they consume paid AI credits, which doesn’t scale for ongoing use.
I wanted a privacy-first, local solution that could turn videos into GIF/APNG/WebP animations without relying on cloud services or paid subscriptions.
The Solution: TransMov
I first prototyped a web version using Cursor, which allowed me to generate the first cat animation for my PurrrrrFocus Pomodoro app. After seeing it work well, I decided to make a native macOS app.
- 1 week to build the first functional version
- Several weeks of testing and iterative improvements
- 1 month from idea to Mac App Store-ready product
Features now include:
- Video → GIF/APNG/WebP conversion
- AI-powered video background removal (local processing, privacy-first)
- Frame-by-frame preview and advanced export options
- Targeted at designers, developers, and content creators
Lessons Learned
- Start small: A single workflow problem can become a useful standalone tool.
- Prototype fast: The web version helped me validate the idea before committing to a full native app.
- Iterate with feedback: Early testing and adjusting based on small user feedback saves time in the long run.
Next Steps / Open Questions
I’d love to hear from the community:
- How do you discover niche workflow tools as an indie developer?
- Any tips for gaining early traction without a mailing list or pre-existing audience?
- What’s your favorite approach to building privacy-first creative apps?
If anyone is curious, I can share short demo GIFs showing AI background removal and video → animation conversion.
If you want to try it out, it’s available on the Mac App Store
and Product Hunt.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or experiences — please leave a comment below!
Thanks for reading! 🙌
Top comments (1)
Sucks that nobody took the time to reply to this. It's a trap for solo founders: launching a great tool in a month only to realize you're starting from scratch with distribution.
Since you don't have an audience don't waste energy shouting into the void. Go where people are already frustrated. If I were you here's how I'd prioritize things for TransMov:
Intercept the pain right when it hurts.
This gets the results. Don't do marketing. Hang out in Runway and Luma Discords. Subreddits like r/MotionDesign. Look for creators complaining about AI-generated backgrounds or After Effects being overkill. When someone is struggling reply with a quick /after showing what TransMov does. Solving a problem right when someone is hitting a wall works better than a cold pitch.
Use the "no subscription" angle.
People hate buying cloud credits and stacking bills for micro-tools. Build landing pages on your site for exact search terms like "offline alternative to [insert cloud competitor]" or "how to convert video to transparent APNG on mac locally". It's work but people searching for a lifetime or local alternative are really interested.
Let the output speak for itself.
Your tool is super visual so use that. Drop 5-second clips on X or r/macapps: on the left show the raw AI video; on the right show the transparent asset. For designers and web creators the output is the pitch. You don't need to explain the tech at first. Just show them it saves them time.
Don't rely on one launch.
Product Hunt is great for a start. That traffic dies down quickly. Instead sequence your distribution. Hit Hacker News next with a "Show HN" post focusing on the side. Two weeks later drop it in Framer or Webflow communities showing how TransMov helps with web animations.
At the end of the day when you don't have an audience the key is to be genuinely useful before asking for money.
Good luck, with the app. The product looks really clean!