AGENTS.md

Blog Structure

Use this repository pattern for the recent AI posts and keep new drafts close to it.

Blog Intake

• Before drafting a new blog post, ask for the title angle, target audience, and whether the tone should be blunt, polished, or marketing-heavy.
• If the title is still open, propose a few catchy options first and wait for selection before writing the draft.
• When source material is provided, confirm the main claim and the intended takeaway before writing prose.
• If the request is underspecified, ask concise follow-up questions instead of guessing the post direction.
• Before drafting, identify the most discerning audience that would actually care about the post and write for that reader first.
• Reduce the idea to one argument before writing the draft. If the claim cannot be stated cleanly, the post is not ready.
• Ask what the reader should think, decide, or do after finishing the post. That answer should shape the opening and the conclusion.
• Use titles that create curiosity and make the right reader want to open the post, but only if the article fully justifies the promise.
• Add a short table of contents after the opening paragraph and <!--more--> marker in every post.
• Treat title/body fit as a first-class review loop. If the title is weaker or broader than the draft can justify, tighten the title before polishing the body.
• Do not use clickbait, hype, or marketing language in the body of the post.
• Make sure the article narrative is cohesive. Each section should build on the one before it instead of reading like disconnected notes.
• Write for the audience directly. Do not refer to the source material as a transcript in the published post unless the transcript itself is the topic.
• Turn source metaphors into audience-facing takeaways. Use the metaphor to clarify the point, not to describe the source material.
• Avoid manager-style adoption framing unless the post is explicitly about management. Write to the developer reading the post, not to the person trying to sell the tool.
• When the user provides a supporting image, use it with clear attribution only if it strengthens the post's argument.
• Avoid repeating the same lead-in phrase in a post. Keep openings and section intros varied so the writing does not feel repetitive.
• Use a phrase like My honest take at most once per post. Do not reuse the same personal lead-in across multiple sections.

Blog Workflow

• Start from the resources and source content the user provides.
• Generate blog posts one by one. Do not start the next post until the current one has been drafted, reviewed, and its teaser assets are ready.
• Iterate first on the blog post titles until the direction is locked.
• During title iteration, keep the loop tight: test whether the title is justified by the current body before making the body more elaborate.
• Iterate next on the post content, using the repository guidance to shape the draft and revise it until the user is happy.
• Only generate or refine teaser and image assets after the post content has been reviewed and is ready for publishing.
• Treat teaser generation as a late-stage step, not part of the first content draft.
• Publish only after the title, content, and teaser assets are all settled.
• Do not push a post until the title, body, and teaser are agreed upon and the teaser assets are in place.

Front Matter

• Use layout: single.
• Use a short, descriptive title.
• Add date when the post is meant for _posts/.
• Keep tags, categories, and description aligned with the article.
• For AI posts, use description as TITLE. SUBTITLE. DESCRIPTION with the subtitle starting with an uppercase letter.
• Set mermaid: true when the post includes a decision tree or flowchart.

Opening

• Start with a short framing paragraph that states the main decision.
• Add <!--more--> after the opening paragraph.

TLDR

• Include a ## TLDR section near the top.
• Prefer a Mermaid decision tree when the post is about choosing between tools, workflows, or approaches.
• Wrap Mermaid blocks with <!-- markdownlint-disable MD013 --> and <!-- markdownlint-enable MD013 --> when needed.
• Start Mermaid blocks with a leading %% comment that reads like the diagram: make the branch logic explicit with if X, then Y; otherwise Z wording instead of a vague prose caption.
• Write that Mermaid comment as plain prose that describes the loop in the same language you would use in the post body. For example: “Spec-driven development combines Waterfall's upfront specification with Agile's feedback loop. Spec-driven development describes the outcome, puts AI to implement code to achieve that outcome, humans review and propose changes, and the cycle repeats.”
• Keep the tree short and action-oriented.
• Make the node labels answer the decision in plain language.

Main Sections

• Follow the TLDR with sections that explain each branch of the decision.
• Use headings like ## When to use ... or ## When to prefer ....
• Keep each section focused on one choice or one tradeoff.
• Add practical examples instead of abstract theory.

Guidance Style

• Keep AI posts short, direct, and reference-backed when making claims.
• Use personal framing like “from my perspective” or “my default rule” for recommendations.
• Avoid universal-sounding language like “you must” unless something is truly mandatory.
• Be explicit about the default choice.
• State when two approaches can work together.
• Note when a technique is a poor fit, not just when it is a good fit.
• When building or documenting CLI tools, polish the help for agents: include examples, use cases, or a companion skill so the CLI stays task-oriented and captures the practical value that MCP would otherwise add.
• Prefer concise prose and short lists over long paragraphs.
• Open with a concrete tension, tradeoff, or decision instead of a generic summary.
• Prefer specific examples and operational details over abstract statements.
• Cut repetition aggressively. If a sentence only restates the thesis, remove it.
• Make each section earn its place by advancing the argument or giving the reader a practical takeaway.
• Keep the narrative moving. The opening should set up the problem, the middle should explain the tradeoffs, and the ending should land the rule of thumb.

Purpose

• Treat each post as both a public essay and a durable note for future reuse.
• Optimize for readers who already understand the domain and want sharper judgment, not broad beginner-friendly filler.
• Write to move experienced readers into thinking, not to recite basics they already know unless those basics are needed to support a sharper claim.
• Publish to clarify your own thinking, but do not leave the draft in that private state. Shape it so a strong reader can challenge it, trust it, or use it.

Pre-publish Review

• Verify factual claims before publishing.
• Check that claims stay narrow and do not overgeneralize.
• Keep provider-specific notes clearly scoped and labeled as such.
• Make sure comparisons and examples are accurate.
• Replace hard directives with preference-based wording when the point is a recommendation rather than a requirement.

Closing

• End with a short conclusion that restates the rule of thumb.
• Add a ## Resources section when useful, especially for links to official docs or reference material.
• Keep reference-only links, such as agents.md, in the Resources section and label them clearly as references.

Blog Images

• Confirm the post title and subtitle before generating teaser, hero, or OpenGraph images.
• If the title is not locked, propose a few catchy options first and wait for selection before generating artwork.
• Use the generate-blog-teaser skill for AI post teaser, hero, and OpenGraph images.
• After image generation, inspect the candidate render before copying it into the repo. Do not assume the latest file is the right one.
• For teaser, hero, and OpenGraph assets, use imagegen output as the source of truth. Do not replace that workflow with hand-built SVGs for final post artwork.
• Use prompt-ai-comparison-teaser.md for AI-vs-AI or tool-vs-tool posts.
• Use prompt-ai-topic-teaser.md for single-subject AI posts such as resumes, how-to guides, or other topic-only articles.
• Keep the visual style consistent across the AI posts: dark matte background, subtle grid, warm gold sparkle system, and minimal editorial composition.
• Save both teaser-original.png and teaser.jpg next to the post assets.
• Wire header.teaser and header.og_image explicitly in the post front matter.
• Keep the editable source image next to the published image when practical.
• Prefer a teaser-original.png source and a compressed teaser.jpg output for post-specific images.
• For shared AI-section art, keep the hero and teaser image paths explicit in the post front matter so the article page, card view, and og_image stay in sync.