How my open source tool got 100 stars in 4 days!

Hey everyone!

I am currently working on a tool called Horus. Originally meant to be part of a renowned forensics operating system, I have decided to continue the project as currently its sole developer.

What Horus does:

Horus is an all-in-one encompassing tool for investigations assistance, from API leveraging to compiling data. It is still a work in progress, but feel free to check out the GitHub page here. Horus has many features, ranging from IP tracking to Virustotal scans, all from your terminal!

How I got Horus to over 100 stars on GitHub:

Getting to 100 stars in this short amount of time wasn't as easy as it may seem. A lot of work went into growing the project.

Firstly, I began by researching advertisement methods. I came across this great tool called Gitroom that allowed me to schedule posts. I scheduled posts for here, Hashnode, and Reddit. Out of all of these platforms, Reddit was the most successful. Engagement was very high and it garnered me the most clickthroughs to my repository.

Secondly, with this "best platform" in mind, I continued posting on Reddit, in multiple communities. Rather than posting multiple times a day and spewing spam, I created an article on a use-case of my tool and advertised it, along with the base of the project. I also searched for new communities to post in everyday to attract new eyes.

Lastly, my project grew on its own! After posting on various sites, Twitter users with decently sized followings began posting my repository, without me even having to contact them! The niche that my tool fits into (cybersecurity, OSINT, and forensics-related stuff) allowed my tool to be promoted easily by accounts that post things in that realm.

What can you do to get stars?

For any readers that want to replicate or exceed what I did with Horus, here are some tips:

1. Focus your project on a niche - this allows easy promotion as previously mentioned and focuses in on a subgroup of people

2. Advertise consistently - For me, Reddit was the best for this. Don't get discouraged if you are met with some blunt comments, it happened to me and it will likely happen to you if you advertise on Reddit, LOL!

3. Vary where you advertise - Even though Reddit was successful for me, it doesn't mean it will be the best fit for your project. Advertise in many places to maximize exposure and the possibility of others promoting your project for you.

4. Be willing to address critiques - When I first launched Horus, it was called Sentinel. The most common advice I was given was to change the name. What made me apprehensive to that idea was the way that it was said to me. Because I advertised on Reddit a lot, negativity was common, especially in this case. However, the amount of people asking me to change the name was enough to convince me to change it. Be willing to take criticism, no matter the form.

Check out Horus!

If you liked my story and tips, feel free to check out Horus! I just released v1.2.1, so there are a couple new features you might find interesting. It is completely free and open source, so the only thing I ask of any potential users is a star, share, or even just a simple hello in our Discord server! Any contributions are welcome!