Distribution-first development

Limone.eth is the cofounder and product lead of Builders Garden, a fast-moving dev studio focused on Farcaster mini apps and other web3 consumer experiences. The Builders Garden philosophy: make it fun, and make it onchain — not just one or the other, but both.

Onchain to get the benefits of an open global financial system. Fun because delighting users is how you keep them around. Also, making people happy feels good!

Alongside various partner projects, Builders Garden is the team behind Farville. The game lives in a crypto context, but simply prioritizes being… well, fun. There is no token. That said, after recently turning on monetization, Farville earned $3k in USDC revenue from its 11k monthly active users (over a 30-day period).

Fun-maxxing is new for Limone himself. Earlier this year he switched focus away from stablecoin payments for merchants, following his curiosity toward the social side of crypto. Taking a classic leap of faith, Limone dove headfirst into Farcaster mini apps.

"Honestly, there's nothing like seeing people play something you built." So he does not regret the pivot. "I started to see how small, playful interactions can unlock something much bigger." (As Chris Dixon famously wrote in 2010, "The next big thing will start out looking like a toy.")

Why mini apps?#

In short, meet people where they are. It's called "go-to-market" because you go to the market, you don't beg the market to come to you. People are already hanging out on Farcaster. Offer them another activity in the space they already visit daily.

There's another reason too, which is more of a gamble. A mini app with onchain components, if carefully honed, can be an approachable entry point to crypto. People are familiar with mobile games, not afraid to try them out: "Get people through the door with something fun, useful, or habit-forming." If that works, next thing you know…

Your friends, your partner, your parents suddenly become part of something onchain without even realizing it. No need to explain wallets or protocols. Just good vibes, good games, and a gradual path into the network.

Contact with reality#

If Limone has a motto, it's "get the fuck out of localhost." Why? Because "action produces information." You will learn more from one week of user feedback (or lack thereof) than months of internal development. (This also came up when talking to Rish from Neynar!)

Build on a social network, because success flows from unlocking distribution. However, to get that benefit, you need to leverage the social aspects intentionally and prolifically.

Bluntly, unless sharing is a core feature, your consumer app is NGMI. "If someone uses your app and no one else knows, you failed," Limone wrote in his guide to creating viral mini apps.

You still have to make a good product, of course. The thing is, you can't learn whether your product is actually good until people start using it.

The way to get more people to show up is by engineering word-of-mouth into the user journey: "Prompting users to share their favorite moment while they're experiencing it is incredibly powerful. It turns passive interaction into active distribution."

Developers are often allergic to self-promotion. Don't think of it that way. Rather, you're providing users with the opportunity to show off a little and connect with their friends (or make new ones!)

Mini apps 101#

The most essential tips that Limone and Builders Garden share with new mini app builders:

Build momentum#

• Pre-save and referral systems get the ball rolling
• Reward early signups with perks and exclusive access
• Launch with challenges or competitions to fuel engagement

Social or die#

• Provide context: pull in usernames, avatars, bios
• Show activity feeds: "your friends just did X"
• Add share buttons at key moments (high scores, achievements, mints)

Notify with care#

• Broadcast new features and time-limited events
• Social triggers like "your friend just beat your score"
• Combat churn with reminder notifications
• Warning! Too much = users tune out

Intrigued? The guide to viral mini apps goes into more detail. Next, read Limone's thoughts on communities forming within mini apps. And don't be afraid to reach out for feedback or advice!