The original title is "7 Days, 0 Stars — The Honest Open Source Launch Diary"

Short summary

A startup's first week of open-source launch: zero GitHub stars, but two external PRs and crucial insights on real traction. True signals are contributor investment (PRs), not vanity metrics (stars). Effective distribution targets the right audience to run your code—not maximum eyeballs—and honest positioning around regulatory tailwinds (eIDAS 2.0 digital credentials) attracts that audience.

• •External PRs from engaged contributors signal real traction better than GitHub stars or social mentions
• •Documentation-shaped promotion and niche technical positioning attract serious users over broad visibility
• •Honesty about metrics (admitting 5 actual stars instead of inflating) builds compounding credibility

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.