lightGallery

A solo developer created an open-source JavaScript library for building customizable image and video galleries on the web. lightGallery offers a lightweight, framework-agnostic solution with rich features like touch support, video playback, and responsive design that works across devices. The creator grew the project organically through SEO-driven marketing and monetized it by selling commercial licenses as a subscription. Over three years, the library scaled from zero to $300k in total revenue, reaching $8k per month — demonstrating that a well-executed developer tool in a niche utility category can sustain a profitable solo business.