Archived
The standalone case study checkout is no longer offered publicly.
Archived builder notes
The Builder Case Study offer has been retired.
This page preserves the old positioning for reference. ImgKit no longer sells the standalone source-code case study and now keeps the paid path focused on portrait animation.
Archived offer No longer sold
The old tutorial/source snapshot package is retired. Current paid development is centered on clean portrait animation downloads.
Real source code
Study the project structure, migrations, Cloudflare Functions, Electron app, and product pages from a working repository.
AI development workflow
See how Codex was used for implementation, review, debugging, UI iteration, and product judgment.
Honest launch lessons
Includes the reasoning behind pausing subscriptions, packaging the desktop app carefully, and selling education first.
What you get
A compact archived record, not a current product.
These materials explain the earlier product direction: source notes, checklists, and the reasoning behind the product pivots.
- 10 written modules in MVP form
- Clean source-code snapshot ZIP
- Environment variable and service setup guide
- Codex workflow notes and prompt examples
- Buyer README, delivery plan, disclaimer, and license terms
- Launch checklist for beta, paid education, and future software sales
Included modules
A practical map from idea to paid MVP.
- Product framing and pricing decisions
- Project setup and architecture map
- Browser image tools and privacy-first processing
- Supabase auth, paid download grants, and local admin workflow
- R2 private downloads and release metadata
- Stripe checkout foundation and why subscriptions were paused
- Local Pro tools behind the desktop app
- Electron desktop MVP packaging lessons
- Codex prompts, review loops, and debugging workflow
- Paid MVP launch plan, support scope, and delivery path
Legacy delivery
The old purchase flow is retired.
The previous plan was a one-time protected ZIP package. That checkout is now closed; protected downloads stay in the codebase for registered assets and existing entitlements.
Archive status
Retired as a standalone product.
The public site no longer sends users into a Builder Case Study checkout. Membership is now the active paid path.
Portrait focus
ImgKit now directs paid users to preview-first portrait animation downloads.
Legacy access
Existing protected download plumbing remains available for already granted assets.
Curriculum
Follow the build in the order it actually became a product.
Each part ties engineering work back to the product decision it supported.
Product and positioning
Why ImgKit moved from generic tools to a beta desktop app, then to an educational first paid product.
Web app foundation
Astro pages, SEO guides, browser image tools, Cloudflare Pages, and the public pricing/product surfaces.
Private access system
Supabase auth, paid download grants, RLS, Stripe webhook foundations, and R2 signed downloads.
Desktop app
Electron shell, local engines, readiness states, Python setup button, packaging lessons, and launch tradeoffs.
AI-assisted build workflow
How Codex was used to inspect, implement, test, review, commit, and revise product direction.
Why this product now
The software is beta. The learning is already valuable.
Batch Lifetime validated the local workflow idea internally, but unsigned desktop software is not the right first public sale. The better MVP is a transparent builder kit: what was built, why choices changed, and how AI helped move from concept to working beta.
Founder note
I paused the software sale and shipped the build record first.
ImgKit started as free browser image tools, grew into local batch workflows, and then reached an honest commercial question: should an unsigned desktop beta be the first public paid product?
The answer was no. The better first sale is the part that is already useful and transparent: the real source snapshot, the protected download system, the Stripe and Supabase decisions, the Electron beta lessons, and the Codex workflow used to build it.
This page now remains only as historical context for the decision trail behind a working MVP. The active paid offer has moved to portrait animation.
Review the builder case studyBest fit
For builders who want the messy middle, not only the final screenshot.
- Solo founders building a practical SaaS or local desktop MVP
- Developers learning how to combine AI coding with product judgment
- Readers reviewing a real launch case study instead of a polished theory course
Not for everyone
Buy this for the build process, not a finished app license.
- Teams looking for a finished signed desktop image app
- Buyers who expect private production secrets or hosted infrastructure access
- People who want a polished video course instead of source, notes, and build decisions
FAQ
Case study questions
Is this a finished software product?
No. ImgKit Pro Desktop is shown as proof-of-work inside archived builder notes. ImgKit no longer sells the separate case study package.
Who is this for?
This archived page is for readers who want historical context on how a real Astro site, protected downloads, Stripe/Supabase/R2 flow, and Electron desktop MVP were framed.
Can I buy the case study?
No. The standalone Builder Case Study checkout has been retired so ImgKit can focus on portrait animation.
What is the current paid path?
The current paid path is one-time payment for clean portrait animation downloads after a finished watermarked preview is ready.