The Denly Manifesto
What we promise, what we protect, and why we exist.
My Founder's Promise
This promise is not made to the market, not to investors, not to numbers. It's made to myself, to the people who use Denly, and to the idea of why Denly exists in the first place.
1. I promise to never betray Denly
I will not bend Denly to:
- ✕ grow faster
- ✕ make more money
- ✕ please others
- ✕ keep up with competitors
Growth without integrity is not success.
2. I promise to put people above the product
I will not judge people, pathologize states, optimize exhaustion, or exploit neurodivergence.
Denly should never feel like:
"You need to function better."
Instead, it should feel like:
"You're allowed to be however you are today."
3. I promise not to build pressure – not even subtle pressure
I will not build features that create guilt, encourage comparison, trigger fear of failure, or put performance above dignity. Even if users ask for them.
Shame is not a feature. Pressure is not a motivator. Rest is productive.
4. I promise to build Denly for myself first
If I wouldn't use Denly myself anymore, if I wouldn't want to open it on a bad day, if I'd be ashamed to recommend it to someone – then something is fundamentally wrong.
Denly stays honest because it comes from lived experience.
5. I promise to accept slow growth
Denly is not a mass product. Not everyone understands it, not everyone wants it. I'd rather have fewer users – the right ones, who feel seen.
Depth beats reach. Trust beats speed.
6. I promise to allow myself compassion
I acknowledge that I fluctuate too, that I need breaks, that doubts are part of it, that I'm not always strong.
I'm allowed to be human, even as a founder.
Denly doesn't exist to fix people.
Denly exists to give them space.
Core Guardrails
This document protects Denly's soul. It's more important than any roadmap and stands above any feature request.
What Denly will NEVER be or do
No pressure mechanics
- ✕ No streaks that can break
- ✕ No 'you're falling behind' signals
- ✕ No red warnings for 'bad days'
- ✕ No implicit productivity judgment
Shame is a bug. Not a feature.
No hustle optimization
- ✕ No 'get more done' gamification
- ✕ No maximization KPIs
- ✕ No leaderboards
- ✕ No comparisons with others
Denly is a safe space, not a competition.
No sensory overload
- ✕ No notification flood
- ✕ No flashy UIs
- ✕ No attention tricks
- ✕ No fear-of-missing-out design
Calm is part of the functionality.
The 5 non-negotiable principles
Safe Space First
Denly is a safe place first, a tool second. No pressure, no guilt, no punishment.
Energy-aware, not output-driven
Denly adapts to the person – not the other way around. Energy > task count.
Radical Compassion by Design
Compassion is not text, it's system behavior. Gentle language, permission to pause.
Opinionated & Protective
Denly is deliberately not neutral. It protects against overwhelm and also says 'no'.
Built for Humans, not Metrics
When metrics and humans conflict, humans win.
The Protection Filter
Every new idea must pass this test.
Exclusion Criteria (→ No if YES)
- ✕ Does this create pressure or guilt?
- ✕ Would a neurodivergent person feel worse because of this?
- ✕ Would I still want to open Denly on a bad day?
- ✕ Does it make Denly louder, faster, or more demanding?
- ✕ Is this needed just to 'keep up'?
Greenlight Questions (at least 3x YES)
- ✓ Does this feel like support?
- ✓ Does it reduce inner friction?
- ✓ Does it increase self-efficacy without pressure?
- ✓ Is it calm, clear, and human?
- ✓ Would I recommend it to someone who's exhausted right now?
"Denly won't succeed because it can do everything. Denly will succeed because it does the right thing by NOT doing certain things."
— Banio, Founder of Denly