# Farcaster's Creativity Problem

> Why open vs. closed source doesn't matter as much as you think

**Published by:** [ZD](https://paragraph.com/@zd/)
**Published on:** 2024-09-23
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@zd/farcasters-creativity-problem

## Content

Most people on Farcaster today mistake "client" for "Twitter clone." While cloning popular social media platforms seems like low-hanging fruit, it's a trap that limits Farcaster's potential. Building multiple iterations of the same product won't drive growth. Instead, we need to focus on creating new experiences on the protocol. Tavern is a good example — it utilizes the social graph for the one and only voice-first app on the network. This differentiation gives it staying power. Some argue that Warpcast should be open source to drive protocol growth. But even if Warpcast's code was freely available, replicating it wouldn't significantly benefit the ecosystem. The real value lies in becoming “a default” for users in some niche, not in being one among many similar options. While Farcaster offers portable identity, that doesn't eliminate all friction between clients. Multi-homing costs (the ease of using multiple clients simultaneously) play a crucial role here:Similar clients (ex. multiple Twitter clones) have high multi-homing costs because users are unlikely to use several nearly identical clients.Differentiated clients (ex., a Twitter-like client, a voice-first client, etc) have low multi-homing costs because users are more likely to download/use multiple clients when each serves a distinct purpose.You’ve probably heard Dan tell people to “play a different game”. What he means is:Instead of building more clones, devs should focus on novel experiences that serve unique niches within the Farcaster ecosystem.By doing so, they can:Decrease multi-homing costs for users of their clientEarn a spot on users' home screensPotentially become a default in a specific use caseFarcaster's true potential lies not in replicating existing social media experiences, but in reimagining what decentralized social interaction can be. By shifting our focus from cloning the old to creating the new, we can build a diverse ecosystem of clients that cater to a wide range of user needs and preferences. The challenge for devs is to think beyond the familiar and explore the vast design space Farcaster has to offer. This is how we'll create a thriving ecosystem that truly leverages the power of a decentralized social graph.

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