# Channel Rules This file keeps launch work aligned with platform expectations as of 2026-04-28. It summarizes public guidance and turns it into concrete launch actions. ## GitHub Source: - GitHub topics: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/classifying-your-repository-with-topics - GitHub social preview: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/customizing-your-repositorys-social-media-preview - GitHub README guidance: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/about-readmes - GitHub community profiles: https://docs.github.com/en/communities/setting-up-your-project-for-healthy-contributions/about-community-profiles-for-public-repositories - GitHub Acceptable Use Policies: https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/acceptable-use-policies/github-acceptable-use-policies Do: - Add a short repository description that matches the README one-liner. - Add up to 20 lowercase topic names; keep them focused. - Upload `assets/social-preview.png` as the repository social preview after the repo is public. - Keep README links relative until public URLs exist. Suggested topics: ```text ai-agent coding-agents codex claude-code cursor gemini-cli mcp developer-tools ci sarif security repository-health open-source typescript cli ``` Avoid: - Dead badges or public links before the repo, docs, and npm package exist. - More than 20 topics. - Broad or misleading tags that do not describe the project. - Asking people to star, fork, follow, or comment as a favor. - Advertising in unrelated issues, pull requests, discussions, or user mentions. ## Hacker News Sources: - Show HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html - Hacker News Guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html Do: - Use Show HN only after users can try the project without a signup barrier. - Use a plain title such as `Show HN: Agent Reliability Kit - local-first repo checks for AI coding agents`. - Stay available for human conversation in the thread. - Explain how and why the project was built, plus what feedback is useful. Avoid: - Asking friends or followers for upvotes or comments. - Posting if the public repo or install path is not ready. - Posting generated or AI-edited comments directly; manually rewrite any prepared draft before submitting. - Linkbait titles, uppercase emphasis, or marketing adjectives. ## Product Hunt Sources: - Posting a product: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/479557-how-to-post-a-product - Featuring guidelines: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines - Sharing a post: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2690626-how-do-i-share-my-post - Personal versus company account: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/771527-personal-account-vs-company-account Do: - Post from a personal account, not a company account. - Use the product page or docs page as the primary URL. - Prepare a short tagline, concise description, square thumbnail, at least two gallery images, and a first comment. - Use `assets/product-hunt-thumbnail.png` as the 240x240 thumbnail source. - Position the project as a live, useful developer tool once install works. Avoid: - Launching before users can install or run the project. - Treating engagement as the only success metric. - Submitting a waitlist, template, report, or pure landing page as if it were a usable product. - Unsupported adoption, security, or benchmark claims. - Asking for upvotes directly, offering incentives, mass-messaging people, or coordinating votes. ## Reddit Source: - Reddit Pro organic playbook: https://redditinc.com/hubfs/Reddit%20Inc/Content/Reddit%20Pros%20organic%20playbook.pdf - Reddit spam guidance: https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043504051-What-constitutes-spam-Am-I-a-spammer - Reddit self-promotion wiki: https://www.reddit.com/wiki/selfpromotion Do: - Comment and help first in each community. - Read each subreddit rule page before posting. - Ask moderators via ModMail when self-promotion rules are unclear. - Make the post useful without the link. - Reply to questions and feedback. Avoid: - Link-dropping the same launch post across many subreddits. - Sales language. - Posting in communities where self-promotion is not allowed. - Using launch day as the first interaction with a subreddit. - Hiding the maintainer relationship to the project. - Private-message promotion. ## DEV Community Source: - DEV writing, editing, and scheduling: https://dev.to/help/writing-editing-scheduling - DEV terms: https://dev.to/terms - DEV Code of Conduct: https://dev.to/code-of-conduct - Hashnode AI terms: https://hashnode.com/terms/ai Do: - Publish a technical article, not just a product announcement. - Use a canonical URL when cross-posting from a project blog or docs page. - Keep tags focused: `opensource`, `ai`, `cli`, `devtools`. - Include a redacted demo and a clear private-data warning. Avoid: - Duplicating a post without canonical attribution. - Posting screenshots with private repo paths, logs, URLs, or secrets. - Using profanity or overhyped titles that reduce promotion quality. - Publishing a thin external-link post whose main purpose is backlinking. - Posting unreviewed AI-generated article text. ## X And LinkedIn Sources: - X platform manipulation and spam policy: https://help.x.com/en/rules-and-policies/platform-manipulation - X developer guidelines: https://docs.x.com/developer-guidelines - LinkedIn Professional Community Policies: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/professional-community-policies - LinkedIn User Agreement: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/user-agreement - LinkedIn CAN-SPAM/CASL guidance: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/l/can-spam-casl Do: - Use the short launch post first. - Attach `assets/social-preview.png` or a clean report screenshot. - Ask for specific feedback: false positives, confusing next actions, missing stacks, install friction. - Reply from the maintainer account with useful implementation details. Avoid: - Making adoption claims before there are real users. - Reposting the same message too often. - Asking for stars before people have tried the project. - Buying engagement, using engagement pods, or coordinating multiple accounts. - Cold-DM promotion to people who have no clear relationship to the project.