Terminal ad SDK grows from side project to 3 open-source integrations
After seeing the service Kickbacks go viral on Twitter, a developer wanted to try it but only used Claude in the terminal, not VSCode, so the existing tool did not fit. They built a terminal-based version themselves, and after positive feedback from the first 20-30 users, extended it to OpenCode and Hermes as well. The model mirrors the original: users earn money by allowing an ad line to appear in their terminal.
Combined, the three reached a few hundred . An project then approached them about adding the feature, since they already had a small pipeline of advertisers built up. That project was looking for a way to earn money to pay its repository .
This led to building an SDK, which three projects have integrated so far, with three more currently wiring it up. Ad served have more than doubled since the SDK launched, reaching a point where the developer is now weighing what to prioritize next.
Key points
- Built a terminal version of Claude ad tool after Kickbacks went viral, since existing tools didn't support terminal use
- Expanded to OpenCode and Hermes versions, reaching a few hundred across three
- Model: users earn money by displaying one ad line in their terminal
- An project approached them to help monetize for repo , leading to an SDK
- SDK now integrated by 3 projects with 3 more in progress; ad more than doubled since launch