Pilot Program FAQ¶

General Program Questions¶

Q: What is the Early Adopter Program?¶

A: A 6-month intensive program (January-June 2026) where 3-5 organizations build production applications with USL while receiving priority support, early feature access, and direct influence on the product roadmap.

Q: When does the program start and end?¶

A: - Applications Due: January 31, 2026 - Program Start: February 10, 2026 (onboarding) - Program End: July 24, 2026 - Duration: 24 weeks

Q: How much does it cost to participate?¶

A: The program is free. You receive: - Free enterprise license for 6 months (\(30,000 value) - Free professional services (\)15,000 value) - 50% discount on Year 1 license after program

You pay only for: - Your own infrastructure costs (~$500-2000/month) - Team time (10-15 hours/week)

Q: How many organizations will be selected?¶

A: 3-5 pilot projects to ensure high-quality support and diverse use cases.

Q: Can we apply if we're already using USL?¶

A: Yes! You must commit to building a new project or significantly expanding your existing application.

Eligibility & Selection¶

Q: Who should apply?¶

A: Organizations that: - Are building new applications or modernizing existing systems - Have 2+ engineers available for the pilot - Need strong security and compliance features - Can commit 6 months with weekly feedback - Have management buy-in

Q: What if we're a solo developer or small startup?¶

A: Startups are welcome! You need at least 1-2 dedicated engineers. We value commitment over company size.

Q: Do we need prior experience with similar languages?¶

A: Basic programming experience required (TypeScript, Rust, Python, Go, or Java). USL has familiar syntax but introduces new concepts.

Q: What if our application doesn't fit perfectly?¶

A: We're looking for diverse use cases. If you're unsure, apply anyway and explain your use case clearly.

Q: Can we apply as a team within a larger organization?¶

A: Yes! The pilot project can be a specific team/product within a larger organization.

Technical Requirements¶

Q: What technologies do we need to know?¶

A: - Required: Backend development (APIs, databases), Git, modern language proficiency - Recommended: Docker, CI/CD, cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure) - USL-specific: We'll teach you during onboarding

Q: What infrastructure do we need?¶

A: - Cloud account (AWS, GCP, Azure, or similar) - Ability to deploy containerized applications - PostgreSQL database (can use managed service) - CI/CD pipeline (we help you set up if needed)

Q: Can we use USL with our existing infrastructure?¶

A: Absolutely! USL integrates with existing systems. We support: - Existing databases (with migration tools) - Existing authentication systems - Existing frontend applications - Legacy API integration

Q: What if we don't have Docker/Kubernetes experience?¶

A: We'll help you set up. Many early adopters deploy to managed platforms (Heroku, Fly.io, Railway) that handle Docker for you.

Time Commitment¶

Q: How much time does the pilot require?¶

A: 10-15 hours per week on average: - Development: 8-12 hours/week - Meetings: 1-2 hours/week - Feedback: 30-60 minutes/week

Q: Can we do this part-time?¶

A: Yes, but 10 hours/week minimum. Success requires consistent effort.

Q: What if we fall behind schedule?¶

A: Communication is key. We're flexible if you're actively participating and communicating. We can adjust timelines on a case-by-case basis.

Q: Can we pause participation?¶

A: Short breaks (1-2 weeks) are OK with advance notice. Extended breaks may disqualify you from completion benefits.

Support & Resources¶

Q: What support do we get?¶

A: - Discord: 24/7 access, 24-hour response time - Office Hours: Weekly (Tuesdays 2-3pm ET, Thursdays 10-11am ET) - 1-on-1 Sessions: Monthly scheduled, ad-hoc as needed - Email: early-adopters@usl.dev - Emergency: Production-critical issues (2-hour response)

Q: What if we get stuck?¶

A: Multiple support channels! Start with Discord #help, attend office hours, or schedule a 1-on-1. We want you to succeed!

Q: Is there training provided?¶

A: Yes! - 2-day virtual bootcamp (February 10-11) - Weekly deep-dive sessions on Thursdays - Comprehensive documentation - Video tutorials and examples

Q: What if the documentation is unclear?¶

A: Tell us! Documentation improvements are part of what we learn from early adopters. Ask in #feedback or #help.

Project Requirements¶

Q: What type of project should we build?¶

A: A production or production-ready application that: - Uses USL for backend + database + API - Has at least 1,000 lines of USL code by end of program - Deploys to at least staging (production preferred) - Demonstrates USL's capabilities

Q: Can we migrate an existing application?¶

A: Yes! Many pilots will be migrations. We provide migration guides and support.

Q: Do we need to make our code open-source?¶

A: No. Your IP is yours. We only ask: - Permission to reference you as an early adopter (with approval) - Option to create anonymized case study - Share learnings that benefit the community

Q: What if we can't reach 1,000 lines of code?¶

A: This is a soft target. Quality > quantity. But if you're far below, you may not be using enough of USL to provide meaningful feedback.

Q: Can we build multiple smaller applications?¶

A: We prefer one substantial application, but if multiple small apps demonstrate diverse use cases, that works too.

Feedback & Participation¶

Q: What feedback is required?¶

A: - Weekly: Progress report via Discord/GitHub (30-60 min) - Monthly: Detailed review meeting (60-90 min) - As-needed: Bug reports, feature requests - End-of-program: Final retrospective + case study

Q: What if we don't have time to submit feedback one week?¶

A: One missed week is OK. Missing multiple weeks may affect program completion status. Just communicate!

Q: How do we submit feedback?¶

A: 1. Discord #feedback channel (easiest) 2. GitHub issue with label weekly-feedback 3. Email early-adopters@usl.dev 4. Form Provided template (see /docs/feedback/feedback-template.md)

Q: Will our feedback be shared publicly?¶

A: Only if you give permission. We may share: - Anonymized bug reports (in public issues) - Anonymized feature requests - Case studies (with your approval)

After the Program¶

Q: What happens when the program ends?¶

A: - Graduation certificate - 50% discount on enterprise license (Year 1) - Alumni Discord access - Option for extended partnership - Potential community leadership role

Q: Can we continue using USL?¶

A: Absolutely! Transition to standard support tier with discounted pricing.

Q: What if we want to stop using USL?¶

A: No lock-in. If USL doesn't meet your needs, you can migrate away. Your feedback helps us improve even if you don't continue.

Q: Will we get continued support?¶

A: Alumni support includes: - Read-only Discord access - Quarterly alumni meetups - Priority consideration for future programs - Standard support tier (discounted)

Practical Concerns¶

Q: What if USL isn't ready for our use case?¶

A: That's why we have early adopters! Some features may not be ready. We'll: - Prioritize your needs - Provide workarounds - Add features during the program (if feasible) - Be transparent about limitations

Q: What if we discover major bugs?¶

A: Report them immediately! Critical bugs get priority fixes. This is part of being an early adopter.

Q: Can we use USL in production during the pilot?¶

A: Yes! Many pilots aim for production deployment by Week 20-24. We recommend: - Thorough testing - Gradual rollout - Monitoring - Rollback plan

Q: What if our project fails or we need to pivot?¶

A: Happens in software! Communicate with us. We may be able to help you pivot or gracefully exit.

Legal & Compliance¶

Q: What are the legal terms?¶

A: You'll sign an Early Adopter Agreement covering: - Free license terms - Confidentiality (both ways) - Intellectual property (you keep yours) - Feedback usage rights - Liability limitations

Q: Can we use USL for regulated industries (healthcare, fintech)?¶

A: Yes! We're specifically looking for these use cases. We provide: - HIPAA compliance features - PCI-DSS support - SOC2 compliance tools - Audit logging

Q: Do we need to sign an NDA?¶

A: Mutual NDAs are part of the Early Adopter Agreement.

Q: What about data privacy (GDPR, CCPA)?¶

A: USL includes privacy compliance features: - Data encryption - Right to deletion - Data portability - Audit logging - Regional data storage

Application Process¶

Q: How do we apply?¶

A: 1. Fill out application at https://usl.dev/early-adopter-apply 2. Include project description and team details 3. Submit by January 31, 2026

Q: What should we include in our application?¶

A: - Organization details - Project description (what you want to build) - Team composition and experience - Why you're interested in USL - Timeline and goals

Q: When will we hear back?¶

A: - Initial screening: Within 5 business days - Technical interview: Within 1 week of screening - Final decision: February 7, 2026 - Onboarding: February 10-14, 2026

Q: What if we're not selected?¶

A: We'll provide feedback. You can: - Use USL anyway (community support) - Apply for future cohorts - Contribute to open-source community

Q: Can we reapply if rejected?¶

A: Yes! Improve your application based on feedback and try again for the next cohort.

Technical Questions¶

Q: Does USL support [specific feature]?¶

A: Check the documentation at https://usl.dev/docs or ask in Discord. If it's not supported, tell us—feature requests from early adopters are prioritized!

Q: Can USL integrate with [external service]?¶

A: USL supports standard integrations (REST APIs, webhooks, etc.). Specific integrations can be added during the program.

Q: What databases does USL support?¶

A: Currently PostgreSQL 14+. Additional databases on roadmap based on early adopter feedback.

Q: Can we use USL for real-time applications?¶

A: Yes! USL supports WebSockets and real-time features (in development, early access for pilots).

Q: How does USL compare to [other framework]?¶

A: See comparison guide at https://usl.dev/comparisons or our Migration Guide for detailed feature mapping.

Still Have Questions?¶

• Email: early-adopters@usl.dev
• Discord: https://discord.gg/usl-early-adopters (after acceptance)
• Docs: https://usl.dev/docs
• Application: https://usl.dev/early-adopter-apply

We're here to help! Don't hesitate to reach out.

Last Updated: January 15, 2026