/producthunt-launch-kit

name: producthunt-launch-kit
description: Use when the user asks to prepare a Product Hunt launch or generate Product Hunt listing assets. Generates tagline variants under 60 chars, a 500-char description, a maker comment, launch-day tweet thread, LinkedIn post, and a 4-email launch sequence.
compatibility: [claude-code, gemini-cli, github-copilot]
author: OpenDirectory
version: 1.0.0

Product Hunt Launch Kit

Generate every asset you need for a Product Hunt launch: listing copy, maker comment, and day-one social posts.

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**Critical rule:** Product Hunt taglines are maximum 60 characters. Descriptions are maximum 500 characters. Never make factual claims that cannot be verified. Never mention competitor names. Never say "free" unless the product is permanently free (not just a trial).

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Step 1: Gather Product Details

You need:

• Product name
• What it does (technical description, one sentence)
• Primary use case and target user
• Key differentiator from existing tools
• Pricing: free, freemium, paid (starting price)
• Open source: yes/no
• Launch date (for scheduling context)
• Any credentials, launch discount, or promo code to offer
• 2-3 things that make it worth upvoting (honest reasons, not marketing)

If any of these are missing, ask in one message before proceeding.

Also check for project context files:

ls README.md 2>/dev/null && echo "README found"
ls package.json 2>/dev/null && echo "package.json found"

If README.md exists, read the first 80 lines to extract product description and key features before asking questions.

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Step 2: Gallery Strategy

Product Hunt requires screenshots. Most listings fail because of weak or missing gallery images. Plan these before writing copy.

**Spec:** 1270×760px, PNG or JPG, max 8 images. The first image is the hero: it appears in feeds and cards.

**Five-position framework:**

| Position | Purpose | What to show | |----------|---------|-------------| | 1 (Hero) | First impression in feeds | Product in use, clean UI or terminal output, no text overlays | | 2 (Feature demo) | Show the core action | The thing that makes the product click: the "aha" moment | | 3 (Before/After) | Show the problem being solved | Split screen: messy/slow state vs. clean/fast state | | 4 (Social proof) | Build credibility | A real quote, a stat, or a before/after metric from a real user | | 5 (Technical differentiator) | Address skeptics | Architecture diagram, benchmark, or the unusual technical decision |

If the product is a CLI tool or library, screenshots of terminal output work well. Annotate with arrows pointing to the important part.

**Video (optional but high-impact):** A 60-90 second demo. Under 2 minutes. No voiceover required: screen capture with captions works.

Tell the user: "Plan [N] gallery images before launch day. The hero image (position 1) is the most important. Here's what to capture for each position: [list above, customized for this product]."

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Step 3: Generate Tagline Variants

The tagline appears directly under the product name on Product Hunt. It is the most read copy on your listing.

**Hard limits:**

• Maximum 60 characters (including spaces)
• No period at the end
• No hashtags
• Do not start with the product name
• No superlatives: "best", "fastest", "easiest", "most powerful"
• No questions

**Tagline formula:** `[Action verb] + [what it does] + [key differentiator]`

Generate five tagline variants:

1. **Outcome-first:** What the user achieves ("Ship docs without leaving your codebase") 2. **Problem-first:** Names the pain that is solved ("No more copy-pasting between Figma and code") 3. **Technical-angle:** For developer tools, lead with the tech ("SQLite to shareable web app in one command") 4. **Comparison-free alternative:** Positions without naming competitors ("Git-native code review that works inside VS Code") 5. **Plain-English:** No jargon, widest possible audience ("Turns any RSS feed into a daily email digest")

After generating, count characters for each. Flag any that exceed 60 characters and revise.

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Step 4: Write the Listing Description

The description appears below the tagline. Maximum 500 characters. It displays in search results and link previews.

**Structure:**

• Sentence 1: What it does and who it's for (specific)
• Sentence 2: The key feature or technical approach that makes it work
• Sentence 3 (optional): Pricing or availability

**Description rules:**

• 280-500 characters (shorter is fine; longer is truncated in previews)
• Present tense throughout
• No hype adjectives
• No "I": write in third person or imperative ("Turns your...", "Connects to...", not "I built...")
• No links (they do not render)
• If open source, say so: "Open source and self-hostable."

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Step 5: Write the Maker Comment

The maker comment is the most important driver of Product Hunt success. It is your first reply to your own post, posted within 60 seconds of launch.

**Hard limits:**

• 300-400 words
• Must be posted within 60 seconds of the product going live
• First-person, conversational
• Tell the origin story
• Acknowledge the obvious alternative and explain why you built this anyway
• End with a specific question to invite comments

**Structure:**

**Opening (2-3 sentences):** Why you built this. The real story: what frustrated you, what gap you noticed, what problem you kept hitting. No "I'm thrilled to announce."

**What it does (3-5 sentences):** Explain the core mechanic. What happens when someone uses it for the first time. Include one specific technical detail that shows you thought hard about the problem.

**Who it's for (2-3 sentences):** Describe the specific person who will get the most value. Not "everyone who needs X": a specific persona: "If you're a solo dev who deploys on Friday afternoons and dreads..." or "If you've ever spent 20 minutes explaining the same PR context to three different reviewers..."

**Honest caveat (1-2 sentences):** What it does NOT