Replit, the Computer

Introduction

The idea of a World Brain has always stirred the imagination, painting a picture of a future where all human knowledge is instantly accessible to anyone, anywhere. This concept gained momentum in the last century, capturing the minds of thinkers and innovators. In 1926, Nikola Tesla speculated:

"When wireless is perfectly applied, the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain."

Then, between 1936 and 1938, H.G. Wells wrote a series of essays titled World Brain, envisioning a World Encyclopedia that would offer universal access to information resources.

However, it seems that it was J. C. R. Licklider who provided the final pieces of inspiration to a generation of researchers, paving the way for the computing revolution. A revolution that eventually brought us the PC, the internet (or The Intergalactic Network as Licklider initially called it), and the resurgence of AI enthusiasm from 2020 to 2023.

In his 1960 work, Man-Computer Symbiosis, Licklider inadvertently touched upon two points highly relevant in 2023:

“It is often said that programming for a computing machine forces one to think clearly, that it disciplines the thought process. If the user can think his problem through in advance, symbiotic association with a computing machine is not necessary.”

The first part resonates with current research suggesting that LLMs trained on code perform better even in non-coding assignments. The second part hints at a new computing paradigm: a shift from merely inputting data into machines to being proactively assisted in our tasks, inquiries, and research. Licklider cited Henri Poincaré’s reflection:

“The question is not, 'What is the answer?' The question is, 'What is the question?’”

Computing Pre-Seed

Early computers were enormous in size, prohibitively expensive and slow. They were also single-player, allowing one operator to manually input a program and wait for its execution. However, in 1961, the work of John McCarthy and Fernando J. Corbató introduced the first interactive, general-purpose time-sharing system, enabling multiple users to interact with a computer simultaneously, a concept somewhat akin to today's multi-player environments in computing.

Notably, these computers remained largely within universities and large enterprises. Users could only use them for a limited time before giving space for someone else to join in the fun. So what came next should be obvious. People like Licklider were already dreaming about picking up their computer hobby projects again at home, after dinner, and not having to wait until the next morning going to work. Personal Computers brought computing power from large, centralised mainframes accessible only to specialised personnel, directly into the hands of individuals.

Fast forward to the 2010s, and we found ourselves with powerful mini-computers in our pockets - smartphones. But, Despite this breathtaking progress, one thing remained static: The vast majority of people remained mere consumers, while a small niche of expert programmers created the means for the masses to query these powerful machines through software applications.

By 2023, it seems we are closing a chapter – the “pre-seed era of computing.” We are transitioning to a time where we not only ask, “What is the answer?” but also, and crucially, “What is the question?”

Replit, the Toy

In 2010, in Jordan, Amjad Masad pondered a question that would soon challenge coding practices:

“Why can't I just start writing code in any language by simply opening a new tab in my browser?”

At that time, the norm was that developers needed extensive expertise in setting up programming environments, installing various tools and applications on their computers before they could write even a single line of code. This setup was time-consuming and cumbersome, often acting as a mental barrier that deterred developers from venturing beyond their familiar tech stack.

Amjad, one of the co-founders of Replit, sought to challenge this status quo. He began by open-sourcing “replit.it” in 2010. His motivation was clear: he aimed to democratise coding literacy globally. After several years working on related activities at Codecademy and Facebook, Amjad grew impatient with the slow pace of progress in the field. By 2016, he realised the best path forward was to develop his original open-source project into a full-fledged company.

In its early days, Replit began as a simple yet ambitious tool, aligning closely with the 'World Brain' philosophy. By enabling users to write their first line of code in a web browser, it broke down the traditional barriers to coding, much like the 'World Brain' sought to break down barriers to knowledge.

Rapid progress followed. By 2020, they reached 5 million users, impressive in itself, but even more so when considering there were fewer than 30 million professional developers worldwide then. This achievement went beyond the software itself. Replit had gained significant mindshare among teenagers experimenting with programming for the first time. While some were merely dabbling, others were immersing themselves in a new world that would shape their professional lives in the coming years.

Replit, the Business

It had already become startup folklore that the next big company would start out looking like a toy. Therefore, it was not surprising that world-class investors, including Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, YC, and A16Z, were eager to back Replit and its mission.

By this time, Replit's mission was in high definition and vived colour: Empower the next billion software creators. The company's early success not only validated the team but also their ambitious mission. However, a new kind of tension emerged: reconciling a long-term objective with the potential to distribute knowledge and wealth more evenly against the immediate financial requirements of a venture-capital-backed startup.

This balancing act, although complex, can be a powerful driver for creative destruction and rapid progress. A critical question for Replit was whether it could evolve from its initial niche into a scalable platform catering to both professionals and enterprises, while simultaneously making strides toward its goal of democratising coding for a billion people.

That's the phase Replit is currently in and what they're actively working on. They've been running several experiments, from a bounties marketplace to 1-click deployments. There's always the risk that the pursuit of revenue could distract the team from its core mission. Even in such a scenario, Replit could still grow into a massive company. However, the bigger question is whether it can transcend this success to become a broader movement and a generational business.

Before moving to the next section, let's delve into some speculation about the potential monetisation strategies Replit might explore:

Ideas

• Reach professional developers with side-projects as a point of entry: Many developers engage in side projects. Platforms like Netlify and Vercel have captured this market with their user-friendly deployment processes. And eventually, these same developers also started to bring these new alternatives to their day-jobs. Replit's roadmap is possibly full of items for this, like improving the developer experience for deployments or using LLMs to unlock a new standard for going to production.
• Target CEOs and Product Managers: Replit could develop tools tailored for product teams, enabling non-developers to create designed and coded prototypes. This could extend to features that analyse existing codebases, helping product teams understand technical feasibility before involving engineers.
• Replit Immigration: There are over 700M adults in the world who would like to migrate to another country. High skilled immigration through software engineering is one of the safest bets. Replit could launch a paid product and community to support these aspirations. A broader vision might include establishing a software engineering certification for immigration purposes, akin to the TOEFL for language proficiency.
• Enterprise education: Companies like PluralSigh and Go1 tap into substantial enterprise learning and development budgets. While initially less attractive due to the need for a sales approach, Replit's strong brand could emulate Atlassian's growth strategy. All you need is a motivated champion in a large enterprise already playing with Replit on the side.
• Replit Ventures 3.0: "We pay you $2k to skip work for a week and build an MVP for your idea” - An exciting angle here would be to target aspiring founders without technical co-founders and make it easy for them to get started with Bounties credits.
• Replit Accelerator: In many countries outside the US, there are influential accelerators and startup communities with thousands of members. Many individuals with ideas lack technical co-founders but you currently only see a few learning to code. There's potential here to sell core subscription packages for such people solving several things in one go: Building the MVP, choosing the tech-stack, hosting, deploying and launching.

Replit, the Movement

In late 2023, Chamath Palihapitiya tweeted about returning to a CEO role after years as an investor. He casually mentioned using "Replit" to don his hacker hat and brainstorm solutions for company challenges through coding.

This is an opportune demonstration of what Replit can become. The official movement that normalises software creation for the majority who aren't professional software engineers. And this era starts now. We've recently seen the rise of AI-assisted coding, with professional developers utilising this technology daily. The next step is apparent and technically feasible: A full unlock of coding for everyone. The critical question remains: Which company will capture the mindshare of the public as the go-to platform for AI-powered software development?

And here's where tension on prioritisation is introduced. For example, should Replit launch a 10x better deployment experience to gain revenue share from companies like Netlify and Vercel? Or should it build closer associations with university incubators where startup ideas are being tested early on?

The likely answer is a blend of both. Nevertheless, one aspect stands out: To go beyond a successful financial outcome, such as an IPO or acquisition, and rise to the stature of a generational company akin to General Electric or Apple, Replit must evolve beyond being just a tool. It needs to become a movement, a household brand that everyone will pay attention to and expect big things in each new wave of technology.

Replit, the Computer

Replit, evolving into a movement, sets the stage for how it will be perceived and utilised in the future. No matter what hardware paradigm becomes the norm, the brand “Replit” will resonate in people’s mind whenever they need a bridge in which to collaborate with AI to make progress towards something that can be assisted by software. Whether they're just seeking an answer or task back, or whether they are being challenged by AI on how to model the world.

If you think about the evolution of personal computing you can easily see the impact it had on problem-solving skills. Imagine an office assistant in 1960 tasked with organising birthday gifts for every customer. The process would involve a great deal of creative, yet organised, manual planning. Fast forward to 2010, and the first solution that comes to mind in a similar situation would be a computer, even before the specifics of what software to use or where to get the customer list from, for example.

This is relevant because that's the ambitious possibility for Replit. It can gain the mindshare in a similar way to how computers did. Replit not just as a tool, but as a brand, a movement, a computer. In the near future, you should hear a board member ask another board member: “Can't your just replit that and see if it works well?”

Replit's future is poised to be more than just a coding platform; it is a continuation of the 'World Brain' legacy, standing at the vanguard of a time where coding and software development are essential components of global knowledge and creativity. In this capacity, Replit is not only helping shape the future of computing; it is realising a long-envisioned dream of universal knowledge accessibility.