Origin#
On September 6, 2022, I came across a picture and immediately saved it. However, I didn't know the name of the app, so I kept it in my photo album, planning to make one myself when I had time. On June 21, 2023, while browsing V2, I saw someone asking if there were any recommended timeline/memory-based apps or web services that could also control personal data privacy. I immediately thought of that picture and replied to the post, which reminded me of my initial intention to develop such an app.
Implementation#
Previously, I developed apps using Swift, but this time I decided to use SwiftUI for practice. I started working on it on July 10. I began by designing the interface based on the picture. However, while browsing Jike (a Chinese online community), I suddenly discovered that the name of this app was "Good Things Happen"... I quickly downloaded it and joined the group. Since I found a similar app, I no longer had a reason to continue developing my own, so I put it on hold again.
But I always felt a sense of unfinished business. The "Good Things Happen" app focused on sharing positive experiences and increasing user engagement through WeChat groups, which was different from what I initially wanted to create. Then, while commuting on the subway, I had an idea. I clarified that I wanted to create an app for recording random thoughts, such as during the commute, while running, taking a shower, walking, or listening to music. Sometimes, I have sentimental thoughts or sudden inspirations, and because I have had many experiences like this before, I often fail to record them in a timely manner or scatter them in different places, eventually losing them. It's a pity, so I want to create this app for recording thoughts.
As for the choice of app name, I considered many options, such as "A Little Thought," "Random Thoughts," "Unforgettable Thoughts," "Reflections," "Inspiration," and so on. Initially, I settled on "A Little Thought," but later I felt "Unforgettable Thoughts" was more catchy. However, I found out that it was already used by another developer. "Random Thoughts" and "Inspiration" felt too limiting in terms of types of thoughts, and "Reflections" didn't sound quite right. So, in the end, I decided to stick with "A Little Thought."
The app's interface and features were derived from "Good Things Happen"... so they were quite similar. Later, I modified it to resemble the style of a Telegram Channel. The marketplace feature was my own idea. Personally, I felt that some of my thoughts were worth sharing with others, but I didn't feel comfortable posting them on familiar platforms for fear of being criticized for being overly sentimental. That's why I came up with the idea of a marketplace. Coincidentally, I recently learned about using CloudKit, which eliminates the need for server-side development, so I added it to the app. Initially, I planned to name it "Square," but it felt a bit cliché. Influenced by novels (Wandering Cult Marketplace), I leaned towards "Marketplace."
The subscription price is meant to support myself, and the interface is abstracted a bit since it was my own idea... Even without a subscription, the main function of recording thoughts is not affected. The only difference is that users without a subscription can only view thoughts in the marketplace but cannot post their own. Hahaha!
Phases Completed#
The overall functionality was completed last week, but iCloud synchronization was still pending. I was also considering whether to add an introduction page. Today, I finally completed iCloud synchronization and decided to remove the introduction page as it felt awkward and didn't look good. I submitted it for review, and the first version is now complete.
The second version has also been completed, with the addition of sensitive word filtering, recovery of accidentally deleted thoughts, and the option to choose different styles, among other features.
App Download Links#
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bright-ideas-blue-sky-thinking/id6455787727