The "Holy Sh*t" Moment That Started Everything
Last Friday night, I was doom-scrolling Twitter when I saw yet another $50/month AI image generator launch. I thought: "These tools are making millions, but they're just API wrappers. How hard could it be?"
Spoiler alert: Harder than I thought, but not impossible.
72 hours later, I had built Imagen 4 - a full-featured AI image generation app that rivals the big players.
The key insights:
- Batch API calls to maximize throughput
- Graceful error handling for better UX
- TypeScript everywhere for fewer bugs
- Modular architecture for easy scaling
What I Learned Building This
1. API Rate Limits Are Your Enemy
Replicate's API has strict limits. Solution? Smart batching and queue management.
2. Users Expect Instagram-Level Polish
A working app isn't enough. You need smooth animations, loading states, and pixel-perfect UI.
3. Internationalization Matters
Adding i18n support increased usage by 340%. Non-English users are underserved.
Instead, I'm monetizing through:
- 💎 Premium templates and styles
- 🚀 API access for developers
- 🎯 White-label licensing for agencies
Link：
https://www.imagen4.org/
Top comments (0)