launch-readme · diff
git:20261012.6c0e348 to git:20261015.1da74b2
69 added, 47 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: launch-readme
- description: Rewrite the first screen of a GitHub README so launch visitors instantly see what it is, who it's for, what it looks like and how to try it — title, tagline, visual, three bullets, one-command quick start, badges, and an optional Chinese/English twin README. Use when the user asks to improve, rewrite or polish a README, make it launch-ready, or says 改 README / README 第一屏 / 写个中文版 README.
+ description: Rewrite the first screen of a GitHub README so launch visitors instantly see what it is, who it's for, what it looks like, what it needs, and how to try it — title, tagline, visual, three bullets, a quick start that reaches the aha moment, requirements, badges, and an optional translated twin README. Use when the user asks to improve, rewrite or polish a README, make it launch-ready, or says 改 README / README 第一屏 / 写个中文版 README.
---
# Launch README
- The README's first screen (roughly the first 25 rendered lines, or one phone screen)
- is the landing page for every launch post. This skill rewrites that screen and leaves
- the rest of the README alone unless asked.
+ The README's first screen (about one phone screen — roughly the first 25 rendered lines)
+ is the landing page for every launch post. This skill rewrites that screen and leaves the
+ rest of the README alone unless asked.
## Before you edit
- - Read `.megaphone/brief.md`. If it doesn't exist, run a quick pass of
+ - Read `.megaphone/brief.md`. If it doesn't exist, do a quick pass of
`../launch-positioning/SKILL.md` first — a README can't be sharper than its pitch.
- - Read the whole current README and keep everything that's accurate. You're
- reorganising and tightening, not deleting the author's documentation.
- - Verify every command you put in the quick start by finding it in the code, package
- manifest or existing docs. Never invent flags, package names or URLs. If the project
- isn't published to a registry, say so and use the real install path (e.g. clone +
- run).
+ - Read the whole current README and keep everything that's accurate. You're reorganising
+ and tightening, not deleting the author's documentation.
+ - **Commands must be real.** Never invent flags, package names or URLs. You may compose a
+ command from verified parts (documented flags, files that exist on the default branch,
+ e.g. `curl -s <raw-url-of-repo-sample> | tool -`); mark it `# verify` and add "run the
+ quick start on a clean machine" to the user's to-do list. If the project isn't published
+ to a registry, use the real install path (clone + run).
## The first screen, in order
- 1. **Name + logo (optional)** as the H1. Keep the logo small; it shouldn't push the
- tagline below the fold.
- 2. **Tagline** — the one-liner from the brief, as plain text directly under the title.
- 3. **Badges** — at most one row, only ones that carry information (version, license,
- CI, downloads). Remove broken or stale badges.
- 4. **Visual** — a screenshot, GIF or short video showing the aha moment. If none
- exists, leave a clearly marked placeholder and add "record a demo GIF" to the user's
- to-do list with a suggestion of what to capture (the exact steps of the aha moment,
- under 15 seconds, no dead time). Tools: [VHS](https://github.com/charmbracelet/vhs)
- or asciinema for terminals, any screen recorder + gifski for apps.
- 5. **Three bullets** — benefits first, each with a bold lead-in and the how after a
- dash.
- 6. **Quick start** — the shortest real path to first result, in one code block.
- One command is ideal; three is the maximum before a "Full install" link.
- 7. **Links row** — Demo · Docs · 中文 / English · Discord, whichever exist.
+ 1. **Name + logo (optional)** as the H1. Keep the logo small; it mustn't push the tagline
+ below the fold. A logo is not the visual.
+ 2. **Tagline** — the brief's one-liner, as plain text directly under the title.
+ 3. **Badges** — at most one row, only ones that carry information (version, license, CI,
+ downloads). Remove broken or stale badges.
+ 4. **Links row** — Demo · Docs · 中文 / English · Discord, whichever exist.
+ 5. **Visual** — a screenshot, GIF or short video of the aha moment. If none exists, leave a
+ clearly marked placeholder and put "record a demo" on the to-do list with exactly what to
+ capture (the aha-moment steps, under 15 seconds, no dead time).
+ - Recording: [VHS](https://github.com/charmbracelet/vhs) or asciinema for text-only
+ terminal output; a screen recorder + gifski if the tool draws images (Kitty, iTerm2,
+ Sixel) or has a GUI.
+ - Host it where the audience can load it. For mainland-China audiences
+ `raw.githubusercontent.com` is often blocked — prefer the project's own site.
+ - Check `.gitignore` doesn't exclude the asset path.
+ 6. **Three bullets** — benefits first, each with a bold lead-in and the how after a dash.
+ Keep each to about one line on a phone.
+ 7. **Quick start** — the shortest real path to **the aha moment in the brief**, not just
+ to "it installed".
+ - If a hosted version needs no sign-up, that link *is* the quick start: put it first,
+ the install block after it.
+ - Otherwise one code block; three commands at most before a "Full install" link.
+ - If the headline feature needs an input (a file with a diagram, a sample playlist
+ link), provide one.
+ 8. **Requirements line** — one line naming any non-obvious runtime need: a browser,
+ GPU, Docker, an OS limit, an account or paid API key. Visitors forgive a dependency they
+ were told about.
+ 9. **Disclaimer** (only for projects built on other platforms, media or personal data) —
+ the brief's standard disclaimer: not affiliated with X; what it does and doesn't do.
- Below the fold, make sure these exist (add short sections if missing): **Why**
- (contrast with alternatives, honest), **Usage/Examples**, **FAQ** (optional),
- **Contributing**, **License**.
+ Below the fold, make sure these exist (add short sections if missing): **Why** (honest
+ contrast with alternatives, dated), **Usage/Examples**, **FAQ** (optional),
+ **Contributing**, **License**. Remove launch scaffolding visitors shouldn't see (links to
+ "launch copy", internal checklists), and re-check any comparison table: every ✅ must be
+ fully true.
## Language twins
- If the user wants to reach Chinese channels (V2EX, HelloGitHub, 阮一峰周刊, 即刻, 掘金,
- 小红书), create `README.zh-CN.md` (or the English twin if the original is Chinese) and
- link both ways at the top: `English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md)`.
+ Create a twin only if you'll post in channels whose language differs from the README's:
+ `README.zh-CN.md` for an English README going to V2EX/HelloGitHub/即刻, `README.en.md` for a
+ Chinese README going to Hacker News/Reddit. Skip it if the README already matches every
+ target channel. If git history shows the author removed a twin, ask before adding it back.
+ Link both ways at the top: `English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md)`.
- - Write the Chinese version natively: short sentences, concrete pain points, "适合谁"
- and "不适合谁". Don't translate idioms literally.
- - Keep the code blocks identical between the two.
- - Use full-width punctuation in Chinese text and a space between Chinese and Latin
+ - Write the twin natively: short sentences, concrete pain points, 「适合谁 / 不适合谁」.
+ - Keep the code blocks identical.
+ - In Chinese text use full-width punctuation and a space between Chinese and Latin
words/numbers (中文 English 混排 like this).
## Output
- 1. Show the user the new first screen as a diff or side-by-side before writing.
- 2. After approval, edit `README.md` (and create the twin if requested).
- 3. List anything you couldn't do yourself: record a GIF, set the repo description
- and topics (give the exact text: description ≤ 160 chars, 3–8 topics), set the
- homepage, upload a social preview image (1280×640).
+ 1. Show the user the new first screen as a diff or side-by-side.
+ 2. After approval, edit `README.md` (and create the twin if requested). If approval can't
+ happen now, write the proposal to `.megaphone/readme-first-screen.md` instead.
+ 3. List what the user has to do: record the visual, run the quick start on a clean machine,
+ set the repo description (≤ 160 characters) and topics (add specific ones; don't remove
+ relevant existing topics — GitHub allows 20), set the homepage, upload a social preview
+ image (1280×640).
## Example first screen
````markdown
# Megaphone
- Launch your open-source project the way marketers would — without being one.
+ Launch your open-source project the way a marketer would — even if you've never done it.
[](LICENSE)
- English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md)
+ English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md) · [Try the checker →](https://2104178150-ai.github.io/megaphone/)
- 
+ 
- - **Know if you're ready** — a 0–100 launch score with the three fixes that matter most
- - **Posts that fit each channel** — Show HN, Reddit, Product Hunt, V2EX, HelloGitHub, 小红书…
- - **See what worked** — star and referrer tracking lined up against your launch log
+ - **Know if you're ready** — blockers, risks and a 0–100 launch score
+ - **Posts that fit each channel** — Show HN, Reddit, V2EX, HelloGitHub, 小红书…
+ - **See what worked** — stars and referrers lined up against your launch log
```bash
npx skills add 2104178150-ai/megaphone
```
+
+ Needs: an AI coding agent that supports skills (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor…). The web checker needs nothing.
````