Building the developer economy at daily.dev

At daily.dev, we’ve always believed that developers are the backbone of the internet.

They build the libraries, write the tutorials, ship the open-source projects, and share the knowledge that powers everything.

And yet — until now — there hasn’t been a real economy that values those contributions natively inside a developer platform.

We think it’s time to change that.

Today, I want to share a glimpse into what we’re building with Cores — and why it’s just the beginning.

Why Cores?

We introduced Cores as the foundation for a real, self-sustaining economy inside daily.dev.

Cores are our new in-app currency.

You can use them to award great posts, recognize valuable comments, and soon, unlock even more ways to participate in the community.

They’re tied to real money. They’re limited. And they represent something simple but powerful: attention backed by appreciation.

It’s a small but fundamental shift:

Instead of relying on empty signals like upvotes or likes, we’re building a system where real skill, insight, and value get recognized — directly, by the community itself.

The better the contribution, the more visible, appreciated, and supported it becomes.

The result?

A community driven not by noise, but by real craft.

A network where what you know, build, and share actually matters.

How Awards work

Awards are the first major use case for Cores.

• See a great post? Award it.
• See a smart comment? Award it.
• See someone consistently raising the bar? Award them.

When you give an Award, you’re transferring real value — real Cores — to the creator.

And they can use those Cores to reward others, or soon, unlock more ways to grow and contribute.

It’s not charity. It’s not popularity contests.

It’s about rewarding those who bring the most to the table — whether it’s code, ideas, insights, or creativity.

Why now?

AI is changing how developers work.

Knowledge is easier to find, but true skill — real depth — is harder to see.

We want daily.dev to be the place where skill still stands out.

Where thoughtful builders, creative thinkers, and generous teachers don’t get lost in the noise — they get rewarded.

Where the best work rises — because the community lifts it up, not an algorithm.

In this new world, reputation, contribution, and craftsmanship matter more than ever.

And now, for the first time, they can have real weight inside the platform itself.

What’s next

Cores and Awards are just the start.

We’re building toward a world where developers can:

• Grow their reputation
• Earn meaningful rewards
• Showcase their expertise
• Support each other directly

We’re not just building another content platform.

We’re building a real developer economy — one where great work gets noticed, supported, and amplified by the community itself.

It’s early days.

But the direction is clear:

Developers deserve better. We’re building it together.