| name | launch-project |
| description | Co-creation launch and distribution workflow for agentic builders and anyone shipping products with AI - indie SaaS, apps, AI products, AI agents, developer tools, MCP servers, open-source projects, SDKs, CLIs, APIs, and plugins. Use when a user wants to take a shippable project to launch, prepare Product Hunt or Show HN submissions, find launch channels with little existing audience, co-write channel-native launch copy in the builder's own voice, choose the right platforms and optimal posting times, build an outreach plan and launch schedule, or turn post-launch feedback into follow-up distribution. |
Launch Project
Overview
Use this skill to help a builder move from "the project is shippable" to "the project has launched in front of relevant audiences and has a follow-up loop." Optimize for borrowed relevance, not generic virality.
Run it as a co-creation, not a generation. Coach the best practices, recommend the platforms and posting times that fit the project, and interview the builder so the copy comes out in their voice. Do not fill placeholder templates and hand back paste-ready posts - that produces generic AI-slop copy. Draft from the builder's real material.
The primary audience is agentic builders and anyone shipping products with AI - indie SaaS, apps, AI products, AI agents, and developer tools - made by builders with small or nonexistent followings.
Source Of Truth
Read references/launch-workflow.md before doing launch work. It is the portable workflow shared by Codex, Claude Code, and other markdown-reading agents.
Read references/co-writing-guide.md when co-writing channel copy, outreach, replies, or recap text. It is an interview script and guardrails, not fill-in templates.
Read references/tone-guide.md alongside it before drafting or revising any public-facing copy. It sets the register, the tired-word bans, and how to build a tone profile from writing the builder has already done - including reference copy the builder pastes in so drafts match their real style.
Read references/scheduling.md when choosing which platforms fit the project and the optimal time to post to each.
Read references/video-production.md for an optional recipe when producing the launch video.
Read references/agent-recording.md when the builder opts in to the agent recording the launch video itself.
Operating Rules
- Co-create: interview the builder, draft from their own words and stories, and refine together. Never fill placeholder templates and hand back finished posts.
- If a draft would be generic because the builder's real input is missing, ask for it instead of inventing filler.
- Choose the two or three platforms that fit the project, and post at times optimized for the audience's timezone - not a generic every-channel blast.
- Prefer specific users, specific communities, and specific proof over broad "everyone should see this" distribution.
- Treat each platform as a community with norms, not a dumping ground for announcements.
- Never recommend upvote requests, vote manipulation, fake comments, engagement pods, undisclosed affiliation, sockpuppets, scraped cold spam, or rule-breaking self-promotion.
- Verify current official platform guidance before making real-launch channel claims.
- For Hacker News, distinguish Show HN from Launch HN. Most non-YC makers should use Show HN only when the product is tryable.
- For Product Hunt, focus on prepared assets, a useful first comment, feedback requests, and authentic engagement.
- For Reddit and private communities, check rules first and write as a participant, not an advertiser.
- For devtools, make installation, quickstart, docs, examples, licensing, release notes, and GitHub presentation part of launch readiness.
Expected Outputs
Produce only the outputs that fit the user's request. Everything is co-created from the builder's real material, never generic filler:
- Launch brief, readiness gaps, and Voice & Story capture.
- Launch video brief with capture preflight, plus the master cut, GIF, screenshots, per-channel cutdowns, and launch images (Product Hunt thumbnail and gallery).
- Audience map and platform-fit recommendation.
- Co-written Product Hunt, Show HN, Reddit/community, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, GitHub, email, and DM copy - in the builder's voice.
- Optimal-time posting schedule (which platform, when, live vs pre-scheduled).
- Reply bank as shapes the builder answers in their own words.
- Post-launch recap and second-wave plan.
