| name | viral-launch |
| description | Set up a project repository and launch plan for shareable marketing, public launch readiness, and growth loops without pretending virality is guaranteed. |
| license | MIT |
| allowed-tools | Bash, Read, Write, WebSearch, WebFetch |
| compatibility | Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, Kiro, and other Agent Skills compatible tools. Useful for product repos, open-source packages, SaaS launches, waitlists, and creator tools. |
| metadata | {"targets":["_source-only"],"author":"Oleg Koval","tags":["marketing","launch","growth","virality","positioning","github"]} |
viral-launch
Use this skill when a user wants to launch a project, make a repo marketable, improve discoverability, or build shareable launch assets.
This skill is opinionated: virality is not a promise. The goal is to make the project easy to understand, easy to share, and easy to act on.
Trigger phrases
- make this repo launch-ready
- set this up to go viral
- prepare a product launch
- create marketing assets for this project
- improve the README for launch
- prepare Product Hunt / Hacker News / X / LinkedIn launch copy
- set up an open-source repo for growth
Workflow
- Inspect the project first:
- product purpose
- target user
- core use case
- current README and docs
- install or demo path
- screenshots, videos, or visual proof
- analytics or waitlist capture if present
- Define the launch angle in one sentence:
- who it is for
- what painful job it solves
- why now
- what makes it different
- Make the repo launch-ready:
- clear README headline and first paragraph
- demo or quickstart within the first screen
- installation steps that work from a clean checkout
- screenshots, GIF, or demo link where possible
- feature list based on outcomes, not implementation trivia
- examples for the highest-intent use cases
- badges only when they add trust
- license, contributing notes, and issue templates when useful
- Create launch assets:
- short tagline
- 1-paragraph announcement
- 5 social post variants
- Product Hunt tagline and description when relevant
- Hacker News title candidates when relevant
- launch email or DM when relevant
- creator/influencer outreach list criteria, not spam copy
- Design share loops:
- a reason users would show the output to someone else
- a public artifact worth linking
- a before/after demo
- a template, benchmark, checklist, or gallery that can travel
- referral or waitlist loop only if it fits the product
- Define proof and metrics:
- activation event
- share event
- conversion event
- retention proxy
- launch-day dashboard or simple tracking checklist
- Keep claims grounded:
- do not invent traction, logos, benchmarks, testimonials, or user counts
- mark assumptions explicitly
- prefer specific proof over hype
- avoid dark patterns and spam
Output format
When planning, produce:
- Launch angle
- Repo changes
- Launch assets
- Share loops
- Metrics
- Risks and assumptions
- Next actions
When editing a repository, make the smallest useful set of changes first, then validate by reading the README from a new user's perspective.
References
references/launch-checklist.mdreferences/external-skills.md
