From experience majority of side projects that set out to make money, don’t make any money.

And the projects have to make a large amount of money to be better than a typical software developer salary.

Consider then that you’re probably already working 40 hours, where are you finding the time for a sustainable side project that generates income?

That takes months, years to get to any reasonable amount of income.

That being said, I have made money from side projects, I made 1/5 of my yearly salary in about 1 month of conception (from a software sale).

But that was a pure fluke, right place right time right tool right amount of luck. I’ve been making side projects for years, 9/10 of my projects lose me money lol

I would guess because with solid software engineering skills you can (could?) make more money consulting in the extra time to make money. I think that might have been true a couple years ago but now is exactly the opposite. Although side projects are not that "side" for the current unemployed.