Handle
@mayakyler
Followers
1K-10K
Focus Area
Indie Hacking & SaaS
Maya Kyler is a software builder and indie entrepreneur based in New York City who has successfully transitioned from backend engineering and developer advocacy to building and managing multiple profitable SaaS businesses. With deep technical expertise in React/NextJS and Python/Django, Maya represents the modern breed of developer-entrepreneurs who code, ship, and iterate at remarkable speed.
Maya's technical stack demonstrates mastery across the full development spectrum:
Maya has built an impressive portfolio of software-as-a-service products that solve real developer and business needs:
A viral pre-launch platform that has become one of Maya's flagship products. Getwaitlist helps startups and product teams build momentum before launch with:
The platform has helped thousands of founders validate ideas and build audiences before shipping their first feature.
A link management platform that goes beyond simple URL shortening:
Maya built y.gy to address gaps in existing link shortening services, particularly around security and spam prevention.
An AI-powered website builder that leverages natural language processing:
This tool positions Maya at the intersection of AI development and web creation, demonstrating forward-thinking technical implementation.
A product change notification tool for software companies:
A lightweight survey creation and embedding platform:
Maya actively contributes to the open-source community with projects that solve real developer problems:
A comprehensive Python and JavaScript library that catalogs all known link shortening services:
This project demonstrates Maya's commitment to building in public and sharing learnings with the broader developer community.
Maya openly shares experiences with projects that didn't succeed, embodying the build-in-public philosophy:
A referral tracking API that ultimately failed due to UX challenges. Maya's transparency about "not getting the UX right" provides valuable lessons for other builders about the importance of user experience alongside technical implementation.
An automated SEO indexing service that was discontinued when Google sunset the relevant API. This demonstrates the risks of building on top of third-party platforms and the importance of technical adaptability.
Maya maintains an active presence on X (formerly Twitter) and Indie Hackers, sharing insights about:
Following @mayakyler provides unique value for several developer audiences:
Learn how to transition from employed developer to independent SaaS builder. Maya's journey from backend engineer to multi-product entrepreneur offers a realistic roadmap with concrete examples and honest challenges.
Gain insights into production-ready implementations using React/NextJS and Python/Django. Maya shares technical decisions, architecture choices, and real-world solutions to common development challenges.
Discover strategies for building and launching multiple products efficiently. Maya's portfolio demonstrates the ability to ship, iterate, and scale different product types across various markets.
Connect with someone who builds in public and contributes valuable tools back to the community. Maya's open-source work provides practical resources while demonstrating collaborative development approaches.
Maya's portfolio of products demonstrates a bias toward action. Rather than perfecting a single product indefinitely, she ships multiple products, learns from user feedback, and iterates rapidly.
The success of Maya's products rests on solid technical foundations. Her backend engineering experience and full-stack capabilities enable her to build robust, scalable applications that handle real user demands.
By sharing both successes and failures, Maya builds credibility within the indie hacker community. This transparency attracts like-minded builders and creates opportunities for collaboration and learning.
Many of Maya's products emerged from personal challenges encountered while building other projects. This approach ensures genuine product-market fit and deep understanding of user needs.
Maya's technology choices reflect modern best practices for indie developers:
| Technology | Use Case | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| React | Frontend UI | Component reusability, strong ecosystem |
| NextJS | Web framework | SEO optimization, server-side rendering |
| Python | Backend logic | Rapid development, extensive libraries |
| Django | Web framework | Batteries-included, admin interface |
| NPM/PyPI | Package distribution | Community reach, easy integration |
This stack enables rapid prototyping while maintaining production-quality code that scales with user growth.
Maya's presence on Indie Hackers and active engagement with the developer entrepreneur community creates ripple effects:
Developers interested in Maya's products can explore:
Maya Kyler exemplifies the modern developer-entrepreneur: technically skilled, product-focused, and community-engaged. Her journey from backend engineer to successful indie SaaS builder demonstrates that with the right combination of technical expertise, shipping discipline, and customer focus, developers can build sustainable businesses around their code.
Whether you're an aspiring indie hacker, experienced developer exploring entrepreneurship, or simply interested in modern web development with React and Django, following @mayakyler provides practical insights, technical knowledge, and inspiration for your own building journey.
Maya Kyler is a software builder and indie entrepreneur based in NYC with expertise in React/NextJS and Python/Django. She is the creator of multiple successful SaaS products including Getwaitlist (20K+ users), y.gy link shortener, and new.website AI website generator. Previously, she worked as a backend engineer and developer evangelist.
Maya tweets about indie hacking, SaaS development, full-stack development with React and Django, building in public, bootstrapped business strategies, and her experiences launching multiple products. She shares both successes and failures, providing transparent insights into the developer entrepreneur journey.
Maya has built several successful products: Getwaitlist (viral pre-launch platform with 20K+ users), y.gy (link shortener with QR codes and analytics), new.website (AI-powered website generator), UpdateMaker (product notification tool), and LilSurvey (survey platform). She also maintains the open-source Link Shorteners package on GitHub.
Follow Maya to learn how to transition from employed developer to indie SaaS builder, gain insights into production React/NextJS and Python/Django implementations, discover strategies for building and launching multiple products, and connect with someone who builds in public and contributes to open source.
Maya's tech stack includes React and NextJS for frontend development, Python and Django for backend engineering, and she publishes packages to both NPM and PyPI. This full-stack expertise enables her to build, ship, and scale multiple SaaS products independently.
Yes, Maya is very active in the indie hacker community, particularly on Indie Hackers platform and X. She practices building in public, sharing revenue metrics, technical implementation details, and honest reflections about both successful and failed projects.
Getwaitlist is Maya's viral pre-launch platform that helps startups build momentum before launch. It features built-in referral marketing, email automation, and viral growth loops. The platform has grown to over 20,000 users and is one of her most successful SaaS products.
Yes, Maya actively contributes to open source. Her most notable project is the Link Shorteners package, which catalogs all known link shortening services and is available as both an NPM package and on PyPI. The project has 74 stars on GitHub and helps developers combat spam.
Follow Ilias Ism (@illyism) for SEO strategies, AI-powered tools, and insights from building and exiting B2B SaaS companies. Creator of LinkDR, MagicSpace SEO, and Reddit Music Player.
Follow @ErnestoSOFTWARE (Ernesto Cassino) for authentic full-stack development content. Panama-based developer sharing Next.js, React, TypeScript, AWS insights and SaaS projects.
Marc Lou is a French indie hacker who built ShipFast, a NextJS boilerplate earning $130K+/month. Follow for build in public insights, SaaS development tips, and solo founder strategies.