How do I sell my NodeJs web bots without getting code stolen?

foghorn

foghorn

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Noob into the bot making scene here. Been coding my butt of for long enough to actually make working bots that so far can scrap product data/download pics, organize it all and then push to my woocommerce store.
Woooh I did it! But now I want to sell bots and realize that since I'm doing everything in JavaScript, anyone can just rip off my code. I don't really care if people do but at the same time I want to make money. Should I even care about this and just try to do custom work for people?
 
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If someone hires you to develop a bot, it's theirs, including code base. I wouldn't ever hire someone if I do not own IP(intellectual property) at the end.

If you want to keep code to yourself, the best way is to make SaaS(software as a service) where they can pay you a small monthly subscription fee and run their bots on the cloud, controlling them by web UI or API.

If you want to sell one-time licenses you can try to use packers like https://github.com/pmq20/node-packer or similar to pack your node bots into single executable but they are not very safe, for such an approach best way would be to go with C or C++ development that would then make reverse engineering a lot harder.
 
foghorn said:
Noob into the bot making scene here. Been coding my butt of for long enough to actually make working bots that so far can scrap product data/download pics, organize it all and then push to my woocommerce store.
Woooh I did it! But now I want to sell bots and realize that since I'm doing everything in JavaScript, anyone can just rip off my code. I don't really care if people do but at the same time I want to make money. Should I even care about this and just try to do custom work for people?
Click to expand...
The solution is really simple, thanks to tech advances.

You don't sell the node.js source code.
Instead, you sell them an API to the source code.

It's easier than you might think.
You can basically create the app on Heroku, and implement API access. You will sell them the API key. Yearly or monthly works great.

Use a docker container and use Google Cloud if you don't want to use Heroku.
Each Docker with its own API key.

I know exactly what you mean because I also sell scrapers for products/prices/inventory/etc, and a lot of the time the price clients are willing to pay won't cover the source code.

So I just deploy a docker container on GCP with their API and charge them manually. I don't like monthly because the lower prices don't motivate me.


This being said, it really depends on what your clients are paying for.
In all my experience working on Upwork selling Web Scrapers, all of them wanted the source code, which is understandable.
Always keep in mind that if the price you ask is too high, there is always someone else willing to do it cheaper. Remember this.

You can't get rich overnight in this field.
However, happy clients will bring riches in the long term to come.
 
Gogol is right, you can provide only API keys
 
Alexion said:
The solution is really simple, thanks to tech advances.

You don't sell the node.js source code.
Instead, you sell them an API to the source code.

It's easier than you might think.
You can basically create the app on Heroku, and implement API access. You will sell them the API key. Yearly or monthly works great.

Use a docker container and use Google Cloud if you don't want to use Heroku.
Each Docker with its own API key.

I know exactly what you mean because I also sell scrapers for products/prices/inventory/etc, and a lot of the time the price clients are willing to pay won't cover the source code.

So I just deploy a docker container on GCP with their API and charge them manually. I don't like monthly because the lower prices don't motivate me.


This being said, it really depends on what your clients are paying for.
In all my experience working on Upwork selling Web Scrapers, all of them wanted the source code, which is understandable.
Always keep in mind that if the price you ask is too high, there is always someone else willing to do it cheaper. Remember this.

You can't get rich overnight in this field.
However, happy clients will bring riches in the long term to come.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info. Selling keys seems like the best approach but I kinda need some cash now lol.
Is is hard to get started selling source code? Was trying to make about $1k per project per week or something.

lucky.sparks said:
If someone hires you to develop a bot, it's theirs, including code base. I wouldn't ever hire someone if I do not own IP(intellectual property) at the end.

If you want to keep code to yourself, the best way is to make SaaS(software as a service) where they can pay you a small monthly subscription fee and run their bots on the cloud, controlling them by web UI or API.

If you want to sell one-time licenses you can try to use packers like https://github.com/pmq20/node-packer or similar to pack your node bots into single executable but they are not very safe, for such an approach best way would be to go with C or C++ development that would then make reverse engineering a lot harder.
Click to expand...
Ahh very cool.
 
foghorn said:
Is is hard to get started selling source code? Was trying to make about $1k per project per week or something.
Click to expand...
It isn't hard. In-fact, it can convert better in certain situations as per my experience. But for a bot, surely... the customer would need maintenance (an element changes and bam, you have to rewrite the whole thing again lol). It is better for both the parties to go for SAaS in this case.

As for source code protection, it is very tough to do, specially with nodejs, but for any software in general. I have seen some insanely genius people in my life, who would even strip out protection from compiled programs. NodeJS is like a piece of cake for them for sure.
 
Gogol said:
It isn't hard. In-fact, it can convert better in certain situations as per my experience. But for a bot, surely... the customer would need maintenance (an element changes and bam, you have to rewrite the whole thing again lol). It is better for both the parties to go for SAaS in this case.

As for source code protection, it is very tough to do, specially with nodejs, but for any software in general. I have seen some insanely genius people in my life, who would even strip out protection from compiled programs. NodeJS is like a piece of cake for them for sure.
Click to expand...
Yea, I have yet to find a game I couldn't pirate haha. Waiting a few months for GTA5 was the worst I ever saw.
 
foghorn said:
Thank you for the info. Selling keys seems like the best approach but I kinda need some cash now lol.
Is is hard to get started selling source code? Was trying to make about $1k per project per week or something.


Ahh very cool.
Click to expand...
While $1k/project/week seems like a good goal, you have to realize that for that price to be even considered, the source code is kind of implied.

I don't want to burst your bubble, or give some demotivation, but most scrapers sell for a few hundred dollars, source code included.
We can talk about $1k and up when data engineering is involved, like using data proc, BigQuerry, GCS, etc, maybe even delta bricks.

For example, I've coded a Zillow Scraper for a real estate agency for only $900, and they got the source code.
They pay me for updates whenever code changes every 1-2 months.

This kind of scrapers, be it real estate, or products like yours, can really be done by everyone, and most often under $300.
Getting a client to pay close to $1k is actually considered good luck or good marketing. In that case, handing over the source is kind of implied.

Rethink your strategy.
 
Alexion said:
Rethink your strategy.
Click to expand...
I was (with no experience) estimating that cost from something like what I just did. Gets prices, data and updates your website hands free. Maybe with more experience I will be able to pump out a scraper a day or something but then getting that many clients would be too time consuming I think.

I'm looking for the quick buck right now. $300 once or twice a week would really help me out. I spread myself too thin a lot. I was only learning this stuff for my own web site originally. Got sick of manually adding products on slow woocommece sites haha. Now I did this I need FB ad money! That's why I was asking.

I guess the tired and true strategy of delivering pizzas will do for now...
 
Johnik said:
Obfuscate the source code
Click to expand...
Obfuscation is never the "protection". You have to realise that people can take even RAM snapshots and get the state from there.
 
Gogol said:
Obfuscation is never the "protection". You have to realise that people can take even RAM snapshots and get the state from there.
Click to expand...
It's better than nothing. Not everyone is IT guy understanding the code, obfuscation, etc.
Anything can be decompiled or hacked, it's just a matter of how difficult it is
 
Johnik said:
It's better than nothing. Not everyone is IT guy understanding the code, obfuscation, etc.
Anything can be decompiled or hacked, it's just a matter of how difficult it is
Click to expand...
OP seems to know what he is doing. He is looking for a strategy for a “launchpad” if that makes any sense. Otherwise, don’t make a software atall, just buy from us and make us a bit richer.

ps you just confirmed what I said.
 
Gogol said:
OP seems to know what he is doing. He is looking for a strategy for a “launchpad” if that makes any sense. Otherwise, don’t make a software atall, just buy from us and make us a bit richer.

ps you just confirmed what I said.
Click to expand...
I am stupid, I don't understand what you are talking about.
He is asking to hide JavaScript code. There is no way to hide it, just to make it harder to read.
 
Johnik said:
I am stupid, I don't understand what you are talking about.
He is asking to hide JavaScript code. There is no way to hide it, just to make it harder to read.
Click to expand...
Bigger picture, that’s what you are missing. The technology does not matter, the solution does. He is going for a solution that isn’t the best, for the technology he is using (hey, he shouldn’t stick to that technology may be, but it is not our product). That is why we are suggesting him to change the business model.
 
Johnik said:
I am stupid, I don't understand what you are talking about.
He is asking to hide JavaScript code. There is no way to hide it, just to make it harder to read.
Click to expand...
Yes and if that defeats a fraction of pirates it will be worth it. I'm into a JS game maker program(you know the one..) and people obfuscate code. It works well enough to keep me from buying any obfuscated plugins. Just a giant pain! And like i said, I don't care THAT much about people stealing my code anyway. Just trying to make a buck.
 
You can use build tools and obfuscators to make the code harder to read and understand, but you'll never be able to fully protect the source code.
If you're selling your applications for 1000$ then most people won't be willing to invest the time and effort in cracking the app.

Use pkg to make an executable after obfuscating the code and you should be good to go :)
 
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