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Show HN: I Built a Platform to Buy and Sell GitHub Repositories (gittrader.com)

6 points by iliaddh ↗ HN
Hey HN,

I built a platform that allows developers to buy and sell GitHub repositories using private forking. The idea is to help indie developers, open-source maintainers, and teams monetize their work while ensuring buyers get fully functional projects with minimal hassle. Many developers create great projects but lack the time or resources to maintain them. Instead of letting them fade away, why not sell them to someone who wants to continue the work?

Here is how it works:

- Sellers list theis GitHub repos in the platform - Buyers purchase repos - Buyers automatically added as collaborators and can fork the repo

Check it out here: https://gittrader.com

15 comments

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andrewfromx
so what are you buying the repo not the source? If MIT License how does this work?
iliaddh
They are not getting any exclusive rights. Buyers will be added as collaborators automatically and then fork it to their own account!
andrewfromx
help me understand why I wouldn't just fork an open source repo without paying for it on this platform. Honest question. What's the value add here?
iliaddh
The repositories are private and seller gets paid for every collaborator that buys it. So you cant access it without permission.
Fajar_Rahmad
Isn't GitHub sponsor able to do that?
iliaddh
GitHub sponsor is donations in long term for open source projects. In this platform the repository ownership isn't transferred, and seller gets paid for every collaborator added and forked.
Fajar_Rahmad
I don't think so. I do GitHub sponsor and i think its more sponsor then donation. The sponsor can get the reward specify by author. And one of the reward can be access to author private repository.

I think GitHub sponsor is more than donation. There is give and take between author and sponsors. Though it depends on the author to set up the reward and tier.

iliaddh
I believe selling a copy of your repo (software, solution, boilerplate) is more profitable than sponsors paying $2 once in a few month, and thats why I built this.
Fajar_Rahmad
From my understanding, GitHub sponsor author can specify what tier sponsor can use so it not just monthly, it can be lifetime also. So author can specify, how much sponsor can paying each tier. For example, 50$ lifetime mean only paying once and get the reward.

Your website looks nice but if you ask me which one to choose between GitHub built in or GitHub third party, i would choose GitHub built in instead which GitHub sponsor.

If you ask me for suggestion, maybe instead of made site to sell repo, i think it's better to make site that can monetize repo. Maybe repo owner will get commission per download served from your site. This way, your site can be used not only to monetize repo but also to showcase good repo.

If you go commission per download, maybe the repo owner can specify on their release to download from your site. So the release will not has any download, instead the download is from your site. This way, your site can get more traffic because if user want to download from repo owner, they need to visit your site first.

For how you can commission repo owner, i don't really sure. Maybe, put ads from Adsense or company on your site or on the download redirect. For example, 'your download will begin shortly, while waiting check out this product (showcase ads)'. Another way or addition, you can made a premium member for your site, where they don't need to wait for downloading, but off course you need to split the revenue from premium member to repo owner, maybe like Quora where if your repo downloaded from premium member, then your commission will be much higher.

Well this is just what i have in mind while typing this. I think this way you have more target audience for you, such as open-source repo owner or simply someone who want to browse or find good GitHub project, or user from author repo who want to support author but cant do donation or sponsor. After all many open-source project is lack of funding.

acosmism
how does this work with sub-assets. let's say i made a game and several resources were purchased each with their own license?
iliaddh
So if it requires licenses they must be followed. If the licences allow transfer buyer has to transfer otherwise buyer has to purchase them. Each listing has documentation section where seller can mention these
Fajar_Rahmad
I get the idea and the UI also looks nice. But i think this is for repo owner with closed source licensing, GitHub just for more easy version control and backup. So it's like project selling but using GitHub for better ownership transfer and control?
iliaddh
Thanks! How it works is the owner posts a private repo they have. Then a user purchases it and they are automatically added as collaborators. Then buyer can fork it and use their own copy. There is no ownership transfer, seller gets paid for every collaborator basically