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Headless Waitlist

A modern, production-ready headless waitlist system built with Next.js, TypeScript, and PostgreSQL for collecting early user interest.

Headless Waitlist is an open-source waitlist system built for indie hackers and startups that want a clean way to collect early signups before launch. It is designed to be production-ready rather than just a demo form.

What it does

  • Collects email addresses for a product waitlist.
  • Validates submissions and protects the endpoint with rate limiting.
  • Stores signups in PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM.
  • Sends confirmation emails and can optionally use double opt-in verification.

Stack and architecture

  • Built with Next.js 15 and TypeScript.
  • Uses PostgreSQL for persistent storage.
  • Includes Resend for automated emails.
  • Uses Arcjet for bot protection, email validation, and rate limiting.

Why it is useful

  • Gives startups a reusable waitlist backend instead of rebuilding the same flow each time.
  • Ships with the security and reliability pieces that are usually skipped in quick prototypes.
  • Can be integrated into a larger Next.js product or run as a standalone waitlist service.