How can I get people to try my framework?

Question

I recently created an annotation-based validation framework in Javascript. In my humble opinion, it is useful and I think it has potential. However, I am not sure how to go about "advertising" it. At the very least I would like people to try it out and give me their comments/opinions/suggestions.

In general, how do I go about getting my framework/project noticed by people? How can I, at the very least, get them to try it out and find out if they like it or hate it or if they have suggestions for improvement?

Personal experience from SO members would also be helpful - as in things you tried that worked, and things you tried that didn't work (a list of do's and don'ts).

Answer 1

Just off top of my head:

Host it on github (or any other social coding site. Maybe bit bucket if you're using hg). Write a decent documentation. Write a series of blogposts on how your framework solves time and problems for other developers that are using it. Note some benefits of your framework over some other frameworks. Write some stuff on how people can transition to your framework from the others. Write a wrapper for some of the famous frameworks (rails, django, zend, etc.).

In general - make your framework easily usable and graspable for new users. Later you can make it expandable and invite others to contribute plugins or extensions to it.

Answer 2

Some ideas for you...

Do

1. Have a blog and a blog post about the framework
2. Have a specific website devoted to the framework. Include a documentation and examples section. Lots of examples including annotated code. Use the YUI examples as a guide. Eg YUI AutoComplete and their examples
3. Have patience, it will take awhile
4. Include interoperability discussion with JQuery, etc
5. Offer lots of examples including annotated code. Can't overestimate importance!

Also

1. Don't cover ground already provided by a popular framework such as JQuery, Mootools, YUI.
2. Do offer a release roadmap. Tell people what's coming and when.
3. Do offer support and build a community. I suggest using Google Groups. Be the most frequent responder. Be prepared to respond to dumb and repetitive questions. They probably won't RTFM
4. Do consider writing additional types of documentation--tutorials, cookbook-style recipes, API references, etc.
5. Do plan for internationalization of your framework and community. Solicit help in translating the docs. Use a wiki to keep it all organized and easily updated by community members.
6. Do consider paying a minimal amount on a logo-design site to get a nice logo.
7. Do offer open, unrestrictive licensing such as MIT. Don't use GPL or LGPL.

Answer 3

Post it in the appropriate subreddits at reddit.com. They have a large technical user base, and I'm sure it couldn't hurt.