Categories: AI Github, AI Tweet Generator

PubliclyBuild Review: Automate Your Dev Journey on X

SirKris

Writer

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Let’s be real. The whole “build in public” movement is fantastic. Inspiring, even. We see folks like Pieter Levels spin up entire businesses in front of a live audience on Twitter, and we think, “I can do that!” It’s a great way to get feedback, build a community, and frankly, keep yourself accountable.

But then reality hits. You’re deep in the zone, wrestling with a gnarly bug or refactoring some legacy code you inherited. The last thing on your mind is crafting a witty, engaging tweet about your progress. So your social feed goes silent for days, maybe weeks. The momentum stalls. The guilt sets in. You know the feeling, right?

It’s this exact cycle of ambition and exhaustion that had me intrigued when I stumbled upon a tool called PubliclyBuild. The premise is so simple it's almost brilliant: what if your code could do the talking for you? What if every `git push` could be the seed for your next social media update? I had to see if it lived up to the hype.

So, What Exactly is PubliclyBuild?

Think of PubliclyBuild as a clever translator. It’s a bridge connecting your hard work in a GitHub repository to your public persona on Twitter (or X, whatever we're calling it this week). You do what you do best—write code and commit it. PubliclyBuild then takes those commit messages, runs them through some LLM magic, and polishes them into ready-to-post tweets.

It’s basically a PR agent for your codebase. Instead of you having to stop, switch contexts, and think about marketing, it automates a huge chunk of the process. The goal is to let you focus on your actual startup, not on becoming a part-time social media manager.

Visit PubliclyBuild

The Never-Ending 'Build in Public' Dilemma

Building in public isn't just about posting wins. It's about showing the process. The tiny steps, the bug fixes, the new features. But that means constantly creating content. It’s a treadmill. You fix a typo in the CSS, and now you’re supposed to spin that into a compelling narrative? C'mon.

This is the problem PubliclyBuild is built to solve. It turns those small, incremental updates—the very essence of building in public—into a steady stream of content. That `feat: add user authentication` commit becomes more than just a log entry; it becomes a public announcement of progress. It’s a way of turning your digital breadcrumbs into a full loaf of content without the manual labor of baking.

How It Works: A Peek Under the Hood

Getting started is, and I don’t say this lightly, dead simple. You sign up by connecting your GitHub account—standard OAuth stuff, no password sharing shenanigans. Once connected, you point it to the repository you want to broadcast. That’s pretty much it for the basic setup. No complicated config files, no lengthy tutorials. A real plus in my book.

From there, the flow is straightforward:

1. You push a commit to your selected GitHub repo.
2. PubliclyBuild fetches that commit message.
3. Its AI model gets to work, rephrasing the technical jargon into something more human-readable. It adds relevant emojis, suggests hashtags like #buildinpublic or #SaaS, and formats it for Twitter’s audience.
4. You get a generated tweet, ready to go.

For example, a dry commit like “refactor: updated video section styling” might become something like: “✨ Just revamped the video section! Our alert section just got a sweet upgrade. No more boring boxes, it's all about that sleek, modern look now. #TechLife #DevCommunity”. It’s not just spitting back your words; it’s adding a bit of marketing flair.

The Good, The Bad, and The Code Commit

Alright, no tool is perfect. After playing around with it, here’s my honest breakdown of where PubliclyBuild shines and where you need to be a bit careful.

The Good Stuff

The time-saving is the most obvious win. I’ve personally lost hours staring at a blank Twitter compose window. This tool gives you back that time. The consistency it provides is also a game-changer. Even on days when you’re not feeling particularly social, your project can still have a public heartbeat. It keeps you on the radar. I also think it massively lowers the barrier to entry for developers who are intimidated by marketing. It’s like a set of training wheels for building in public.

The Caveats and Considerations

Now for the important part. PubliclyBuild is not a magic wand. Its effectiveness is directly tied to the quality of your input. I’m talking about your commit messages. This is the classic “Garbage In, Garbage Out” scenario. If your commit messages are lazy one-liners like “bug fix” or “stuff”, the AI has nothing to work with and will produce generic, uninteresting tweets.

To really make this tool sing, you need to adopt a practice of writing descriptive commit messages. I’d strongly suggest looking into something like the Conventional Commits specification. It’s good practice anyway, and it makes tools like this infinitely more powerful.

Also, I’d still recommend giving the generated tweets a quick once-over before they go live. The AI is good, but it’s not you. Sometimes you’ll want to tweak the tone, add a specific bit of context, or throw in a personal comment. Think of it as an assistant who prepares 90% of the work for you, and you just provide the final 10% of polish.

Let’s Talk About Pricing

The pricing structure is interesting and, honestly, quite refreshing in a world dominated by complex subscription tiers. It's broken down into two main offerings.

I really like this model. You can dip your toes in with the $10/month plan to see if you like the quality of the generated content. If you find its saving you time and you trust the output, grabbing the one-time payment for the auto-poster is a no-brainer. In an industry plagued by SaaS subscriptions, a one-time payment for a core feature feels like a throwback, and a welcome one at that.

Who Is This Tool Actually For?

This isn't a tool for everyone. If you're a big company with a dedicated social media team, you don’t need this. But if you're one of the following, you should pay attention:

• Indie Hackers & Solo Founders: You are the target audience. This is built to scratch your exact itch.
• Small SaaS Teams: Perfect for keeping your product updates flowing without pulling a developer away from their work.
• Devs Building a Personal Brand: If you want to share your coding projects but hate the performance art of social media, this is your ghostwriter.

Essentially, if you live on GitHub and want to have more of a presence on Twitter/X without the extra effort, PubliclyBuild is worth a serious look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions I had myself, and the answers I found.

Final Thoughts: A Coder's Social Media Assistant?

I came in skeptical, as I always do with automation tools that promise to solve creative problems. But I’m walking away impressed. PubliclyBuild isn't trying to replace the founder; it’s trying to be their most efficient assistant. It handles the tedious, repetitive part of building in public, freeing you up to engage with the replies, talk to users, and, you know, actually build the thing.

For the right person—the busy developer, the solo founder, the indie hacker—this tool could be the missing link that makes building in public sustainable instead of a chore. It’s a smart solution for a very modern problem.

Reference and Sources

• PubliclyBuild Official Website
• PubliclyBuild Pricing Page
• Conventional Commits Specification - A great resource for improving your commit messages.
• Pieter Levels (@levelsio) on X - A prime example of the 'Build in Public' ethos.