When To Kill A Project

Dave Verwer, creator of iOS Dev Weekly and Swift Package Index, shares lessons from 30 years of building software projects. Through case studies of both successes and failures—including the iOS Dev Survey that flopped despite massive effort, Tackle Fishing app that ignored market research, AppReviewTimes that solved a real problem until Apple fixed it, and the thriving Swift Package Index—he demonstrates critical skills for indie developers: knowing when to kill projects, conducting proper market research, focusing resources on what works, and recognizing when success means shutting down. The piece emphasizes that even experienced builders face failures, but long-term success comes from quickly identifying what isn't working and moving on.