--- name: launch-artifacts description: Transforms README and CHANGELOG into platform-specific launch content — Dev.to articles, Hacker News posts, Reddit posts, Twitter/X threads, and awesome list submission PRs. Keeps promotion tethered to code artifacts, not generic marketing. Use when launching or announcing a project release. version: "1.0.0" --- # Launch Artifacts Generator ## Philosophy Great documentation is useless if nobody finds it. This skill transforms existing PitchDocs-generated content (README, CHANGELOG, features) into platform-specific posts for launch and promotion. **Scope boundary:** This skill generates content from existing code artifacts — it does not create generic marketing playbooks. Every artifact traces back to the README, CHANGELOG, or codebase features. ## Prerequisites Before generating launch artifacts, ensure the project has: - A PitchDocs-generated README with hero section and features - A CHANGELOG with the release being announced (if applicable) - Feature extraction completed via the `feature-benefits` skill ## Platform Templates ### Dev.to Article Transform README + CHANGELOG into a Dev.to blog post. Dev.to uses Liquid tags for frontmatter. ```markdown --- title: "[Project Name]: [Value proposition from README hero]" published: false description: "[README explanatory sentence, condensed to 100 chars]" tags: [up to 4 relevant tags] canonical_url: https://github.com/org/repo --- [Opening hook — rewrite the README "Why" section as a narrative problem statement] ## The Problem [Expand on the problem from the README's "Why" section — use reader-centric language] ## What [Project Name] Does [Condense the README features into 3-5 key capabilities with code examples] ### [Feature 1] [Brief explanation with code example from README quickstart] \`\`\`typescript // Copy the most compelling code example from the quickstart \`\`\` ### [Feature 2] [Another key feature with a practical example] ## Getting Started \`\`\`bash [Installation command from README] \`\`\` [Minimal usage example — keep it under 10 lines] ## What's Next [Link to ROADMAP or upcoming features] --- *[Project Name] is open source ([licence]) — [link to repo]. Contributions welcome!* ``` **Dev.to tag selection:** - Use existing popular tags (check dev.to/tags) - Maximum 4 tags per article - Include language tag (`typescript`, `python`), category tag (`opensource`, `devtools`), and 1-2 topic tags ### Hacker News "Show HN" Post Title + description optimised for Hacker News submission. **Title format:** ``` Show HN: [Project Name] – [One-line value proposition from README hero] ``` **Rules:** - Maximum 80 characters for the title - No exclamation marks, no ALL CAPS, no emoji - Lead with what it does, not what it is - Include the key differentiator **Description (first comment):** ``` Hi HN, I built [Project Name] to solve [problem from README "Why" section]. [2-3 sentences on the technical approach — what makes this different from alternatives. Include a concrete metric or benchmark if available.] [1 sentence on the tech stack — language, framework, key dependencies.] Key features: - [Feature 1 — from README features, condensed] - [Feature 2] - [Feature 3] [Link to repo] | [Link to docs/demo if available] Happy to answer questions about [the most technically interesting aspect]. ``` **Timing guidance:** - Best days: Tuesday–Thursday - Best times: 9:00–11:00 AM US Eastern (14:00–16:00 UTC) - Avoid weekends, US holidays, and major tech conference days - Source: academic study of 138 repo launches showed +121 stars within 24 hours of HN exposure ### Reddit Post Formatted for relevant subreddits. Each subreddit has different norms. **r/programming** (technical audience, link post preferred): ``` Title: [Project Name]: [technical description, not marketing] URL: https://github.com/org/repo ``` Add a first comment explaining the motivation: ``` Author here. I built this because [problem]. Technical highlights: - [Technical detail 1] - [Technical detail 2] Built with [tech stack]. Feedback welcome, especially on [specific area]. ``` **r/webdev** (web developer audience, self-post OK): ``` Title: I built [Project Name] to [solve problem] — open source Body: [Condensed README with focus on practical usage and DX] ``` **r/opensource** (open source community): ``` Title: [Project Name] — [description] [language/framework] Body: [Focus on contribution opportunities, roadmap, and community] ``` **Reddit rules:** - Don't post to more than 2-3 subreddits for the same project - Space posts across different subreddits by at least 24 hours - Engage genuinely in comments — don't just post and leave - Read each subreddit's rules before posting (some ban self-promotion) ### Twitter/X Thread Convert README features into a 5-tweet thread. ``` Tweet 1 (hook): 🚀 Introducing [Project Name] [One-line value proposition from README hero] Thread 👇 --- Tweet 2 (problem): The problem: [Problem from README "Why" section] [1-2 sentences expanding on the pain point] --- Tweet 3 (features): What it does: • [Feature 1] — [benefit] • [Feature 2] — [benefit] • [Feature 3] — [benefit] --- Tweet 4 (proof): [Concrete metric, benchmark, or social proof] [Code snippet or screenshot if applicable] --- Tweet 5 (CTA): Try it now: [install command] GitHub: [repo URL] Docs: [docs URL] Star ⭐ if you find it useful — it helps others discover it too. ``` **Twitter/X rules:** - 280 characters per tweet - Use line breaks for readability - Include a code snippet image or screenshot in tweet 3 or 4 - Thread should be self-contained — each tweet makes sense alone ### Awesome List Submission PR Template for submitting the project to relevant awesome lists. **Step 1: Find relevant awesome lists** ```bash # Search GitHub for awesome lists in your category (GitHub CLI — for GitLab/Bitbucket, search manually) gh search repos "awesome-[category]" --sort stars --limit 10 ``` **Step 2: Check contribution guidelines** Every awesome list has its own rules. Before submitting: - Read the list's CONTRIBUTING.md or PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md - Check the format of existing entries (description length, link style) - Verify the project meets the list's quality criteria (stars, maintenance, docs) **Step 3: PR body template** ```markdown ## Add [Project Name] **Description:** [One-line description matching the list's existing entry format] **Link:** https://github.com/org/repo **Why it belongs:** [1-2 sentences on why this project fits the list's criteria] **Checklist:** - [ ] Read the contribution guidelines - [ ] Project is actively maintained - [ ] Project has documentation - [ ] Entry format matches existing entries ``` **Awesome list entry format** (adapt to match the specific list): ```markdown - [Project Name](https://github.com/org/repo) — One-line description matching the list's style. ``` ### GitHub Discussions Announcement For projects using GitHub Discussions (GitHub-only feature — GitLab and Bitbucket do not have an equivalent), template for a release announcement. ```markdown Title: [Project Name] v[X.Y.Z] released — [headline feature] ## What's New [Condense CHANGELOG entries into 3-5 user-facing highlights] ### [Highlight 1] [1-2 sentences with a code example if applicable] ### [Highlight 2] [1-2 sentences] ## Upgrade \`\`\`bash [upgrade command] \`\`\` [Link to migration guide if breaking changes] ## What's Next [Link to ROADMAP or mention upcoming features] --- Full changelog: [link to CHANGELOG.md or GitHub release] ``` ## Social Preview Image Guidance GitHub uses the repository's social preview image when links are shared on Twitter/X, Slack, Discord, and LinkedIn. **Specifications:** - **Size:** 1280 x 640 pixels (2:1 ratio) - **File size:** Under 1MB, ideally <300KB - **Format:** PNG or JPEG - **Set via:** Repository Settings > Social preview (manual upload) **Design recommendations:** - Project name in large, readable text (survives thumbnail cropping) - One-line value proposition below the name - Key visual element — logo, icon, or illustrative graphic - Keep critical content centred (platforms crop differently) - Use project brand colours for recognition **Tools for creation:** - [Canva](https://canva.com/) — Templates for GitHub social cards - [Figma](https://figma.com/) — Custom designs with precise dimensions - [og-image generators](https://github.com/vercel/og-image) — Programmatic generation ## Anti-Patterns - **Don't spam multiple platforms simultaneously** — space posts across 2-3 days - **Don't use identical content across platforms** — adapt tone and format for each audience - **Don't make claims not backed by the README** — every feature mentioned must trace to code evidence - **Don't post and disappear** — engage with comments and questions on every platform - **Don't buy stars or upvotes** — artificial engagement is detectable and erodes trust - **Don't submit to awesome lists before your docs are ready** — list maintainers check quality