1 billion installs? A proposal for minimal CLI advertising #2440
Description
Tailwind has surpassed 1 billion installs, representing not just adoption, but global-scale distribution.
The proposal is simple:
display a single, discreet line in the CLI, during install or execution, for example:
Have you checked AWS server offers this week?
See more: https://example.com
Nothing recurring, nothing intrusive, and no impact on build, performance, or DX.
Why consider this:
Large-scale open source projects need sustainable revenue models
The CLI already asks questions like “Have you starred the project on GitHub?”
Who would be interested:
Cloud & infrastructure (AWS, GCP, VPS providers)
Developer tools (CI/CD, observability, APIs)
AI platforms for developers
Technical education and courses
Advertising has historically funded web infrastructure — here, it’s just one line of text, shown to a highly targeted audience.
This isn’t about polluting the experience, but about opening a discussion on long-term sustainability for a project that delivers massive value to the ecosystem.
Assuming 1 billion CLI impressions - CPM $10 -> Revenue $10M
Given Tailwind’s scale and highly targeted developer audience, charging at least $10 per 1,000 impressions is more than reasonable — and still conservative by B2B standards.
Thank you for maintaining such an important tool.