side project
/saɪd ˈprɒdʒɛkt/
Very CommonA personal project someone builds outside their main job, usually for learning, fun, or income potential.
In tech culture, side project implies a built thing, not just a skill. It can be a business seed or just something you made because you wanted to. The term doesn't carry the hustle-culture weight of 'side hustle'.
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Been working on a side project for three months. Finally shipped it last night. | Completed and released something built outside of regular work. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | My side project makes more than my day job now and I don't know how to feel. | A personal project unexpectedly outgrew the main source of income. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | I start a new side project every time I'm bored at work. I have 40 half-finished things on GitHub. | Side projects are used as an escape valve for boredom, often abandoned quickly. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | Interviewer asked me about my side projects and I spent 20 minutes talking. I think I got the job. | Personal projects became a talking point that demonstrated genuine interest and initiative. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- Someone builds a product, app, or tool outside their main job.
- Someone is experimenting with a new skill or idea in their own time.
- Someone has a small product that might someday become a business.
Do not use it when
- The project is an official work assignment.
- The primary goal is income rather than building or learning.Use “side hustle” instead.
Side project vs passion project
side project
Side project is neutral on motivation. It can be for learning, money, or fun.
passion-project
Passion project emphasizes deep personal investment and intrinsic motivation over outcomes.
Origin and context
Common in software and startup culture since the early 2000s. Popularized by communities like Hacker News, Indie Hackers, and Product Hunt where builders share and celebrate personal projects. The term gained cultural weight as successful products like Craigslist, Slack, and Gmail started as side projects.
- First seen
- 2000s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/side-project