How HtmlColor.Codes Actually Started
I'll tell you exactly how this happened — no embellishment, no marketing spin. Just the genuine sequence of events that took this from a random idea to a live website inside of a week.
Looking for a new niche to build in
I've been building websites and writing about digital topics for over a decade. After spending some time thinking about where I wanted to put my energy next, I decided to go back to basics and do proper keyword research — not just gut feeling, but actual data. I spent 2 to 3 days looking at search volumes, competition levels, and monetization potential across dozens of niches.
The process was slow at first. I kept landing on niches that were either too saturated or too narrow to build a sustainable site around. Then I started looking at developer and design tools — utility sites that people use daily rather than just visit once. That's when the keyword "HTML color codes" showed up on my radar. High volume, clear user intent, and a surprising amount of room for a better, more complete resource.
A GoDaddy notification changed everything
Once I'd decided the niche had potential, the next obvious question was the domain. I started browsing for options — most of the obvious ones were taken or priced at a premium. I wasn't in a rush, so I was thinking I might have to get creative. Then, out of nowhere, a GoDaddy notification came through telling me that htmlcolor.codes was available at auction.
I don't usually move fast on domain decisions, but this one felt too specific to ignore. The domain literally said what the site was going to be about. No guesswork needed from a user's perspective, no extra explaining. I bought it without overthinking it, and I'm glad I did. That .codes extension also felt right for a site aimed at developers — it has a technical credibility to it that a generic .com equivalent wouldn't have.
Five days of proper hard work
I did competition research first — went through all the top-ranking sites for color-related queries, made notes on what each one did well and where they left gaps. The gaps were real: most sites had one tool and a static color list. Nothing comprehensive, nothing that felt built by someone who actually understood the design and development workflow.
So I built what I'd want to use myself. A full-featured color picker with Hex, RGB, HSL, OKLCH, and CSS output. An image color picker that works entirely in the browser without uploading your files to a server. A complete color chart of all 140 CSS named colors — searchable and filterable. A curated color library with 60+ palettes. A gradient builder. A contrast checker. Everything in one place, all free, no account required. Five days from that GoDaddy notification to a live site.
Ongoing and growing
The site went live and has been growing steadily. I keep building on it — new tools, better UX, more detailed content. Every update comes from either something I needed personally while doing client work or something that showed up repeatedly in search queries. The goal has always been the same: make it the most useful free color resource on the internet, full stop.