Live community map — updated as founders list products
Where to promote your open source project
Stars don't come from posting your GitHub link — they come from the rooms where developers look for tools. Here's the map.
24
Communities mapped
6
Platforms covered
96
Live listings analyzed
The short answer
Open source discovery happens in r/opensource, r/github, and r/coolgithubprojects on Reddit, plus Lobsters, Hacker News, and the GitHub Community forum. The winning post format is 'I built X because Y' — the problem story — with the repo link inside, not a bare 'check out my project'.
Subreddits where open source users hang out
- Redditr/opensourceThe OSS-philosophy crowd — projects get judged on the license too
- Redditr/coolgithubprojectsExists specifically for posting repos — the lowest-friction entry
- Redditr/githubWorkflow and project talk — tools built on GitHub fit naturally
- Redditr/MachineLearningAI model tuning
- Redditr/AIAI innovation
Discord servers for open source users
- DiscordPython· 432.6k membersPython community
- Discordn8n· 89.0k membersn8n community support
- DiscordAutism Inc.· 59.6k membersMCP plugin creators
- DiscordTypeScript Community· 49.6k membersTS community
- DiscordDevelopers· 41.2k membersdevs discuss tools
- DiscordGithub Community· 9.0k membersopen source collab
- Discordselenium· 898 memberstest automation
- Discordselenium· 898 memberstest automation
- Discordlangchain· 632 membersdev support
- DiscordDocker· 261 memberscontainer enthusiasts
- Discordthe niggers· 260 membersextension devs
- Discord.gg/javascript· 250 membersJS community
Slack communities for open source users
Forums open source users actually read
Where open source users gather on X
LinkedIn communities for open source users
How to actually reach open source users
Write the problem story, not the feature list
'I got tired of X, so I built Y' is the highest-performing OSS post format. Developers adopt tools born from a pain they also feel.
The README is the landing page
Every community post funnels to the repo. If the README doesn't answer 'what is this and why do I care' in 5 seconds, the traffic converts to nothing.
Stars follow usage, not the other way
A great first issue pulls a contributor; a contributor pulls ten stars. Optimize the repo for contribution — good docs, labeled issues — not vanity metrics.
Products that sell to open source users
Your buyers are in these rooms.
List your product on OnlyFoundrs and we map exactly where its customers hang out — subreddits, Discords, and communities checked for dead links. Free, live in minutes.
Common questions
Where can I promote my open source project?
r/coolgithubprojects and r/opensource on Reddit, Lobsters, Show HN, and the GitHub Community forum. The repo README is what converts the traffic.
How do open source projects get their first users?
Through problem-fit posts: 'I built X because Y annoyed me' in communities where that annoyance is shared. Stars follow adoption, not announcement volume.
Is Show HN good for open source?
The best single launch for OSS — 'Show HN: open-source X' is a proven format and the audience stars liberally when the project solves a real dev pain.
How do I get contributors, not just stars?
Label good first issues, write contribution docs, and answer issues fast. Communities like GitHub Community and relevant language subs surface projects that look welcoming.