Releasing Topiary

Screenshot of Topiary app showing the main UI

4 days ago, I released my new app, Topiary, in the App Store.

It has been a great experience and a bunch of firsts for me in my approach for indie apps.

  • Direct feedback with users and rhe community via Testflight and building in public. I did this earlier than I'd ever done before.
  • Using Figma to create my screenshots. I've used Fastlane + Snapshot in the past, and just plain screenshots. This time I wanted to experience using a dedicated tool. It was fun!
  • A proper design review and layout from my friend Kris.
  • Using AI. The profile pictures of users in my screenshots are all AI generated.
  • First time going straight through App review for 1.0 after releasing 6 apps to the app store as an indie dev.
  • My first app using TootSDK.
  • First time using JIRA to organise my indie tasks. I've used Notes/Bear/Trello in the past, but this felt much more organised.  

It's been fun. The initial feedback from the launch has been super positive. I've a list of next tasks and features to attack too!

It also marks the 5th app (including 2 from my previous job in 2021/22), that has gone into production with my SwiftUI Router design pattern. Being able to lift and shift whole flows from previous apps, meant I had Settings screens, About, and even a Paywall simply by reusing what I made in Video to Audio. There was minimal refactoring/editing.

I make indie apps because I have to. I get an idea and it just won't quit bugging me.

I've loved being able to start hacking on something and have it in the store in less than 4 weeks' of part time effort by leveraging things I've built in previous projects.

If you're an indie who wants to release new things or ship updates regularly in anyway, then I recommend building your own systems that help speed up the process for you with each release or iteration.

You can download Topiary for free from the AppStore

Topiary App Store link and button