posit-dev/release-post

Package Release Post

Create professional R/Python package release blog posts following Tidyverse or Shiny blog conventions.

Quick Start

1. Identify the blog platform: Tidyverse (tidyverse.org) or Shiny (shiny.posit.co)
2. Verify NEWS.md or changelog exists for the package
3. Gather package info: name, version, repository (e.g., "tidyverse/dplyr")
4. Follow the workflow below
5. Use scripts/get_contributors.R to generate acknowledgments
6. Reference the appropriate formatting guide for final polish

Platform Selection

This skill supports two blog platforms with different formatting requirements:

• Tidyverse blog (tidyverse.org)

  • Uses hugodown
  • R packages primarily
  • More rigid structure and conventions
  • See references/tidyverse-formatting.md

• Shiny blog (shiny.posit.co)

  • Uses Quarto
  • R and Python packages
  • More flexible, feature-focused structure
  • See references/shiny-formatting.md

First, determine which platform the post is for, then follow the general workflow and apply platform-specific formatting.

General Workflow

These steps apply to both platforms. Content guidelines are based on Tidyverse best practices but adapt them as needed for Shiny posts.

Step 1: Gather Information

Collect required information:

• Platform: Tidyverse or Shiny blog?
• Package name and version: e.g., "dplyr 1.2.0" or "shiny 1.9.0"
• Repository: GitHub repo in "owner/repo" format
• Package language: R or Python
• NEWS content: Read the package's NEWS.md, CHANGELOG, or NEWS
• Package description: One-sentence core purpose
• Previous release tag: For contributor fetching (optional)
• Featured image: For frontmatter (optional but recommended)

Step 2: Structure the Post

Create the post outline following this order:

1. Frontmatter: Platform-specific YAML (see formatting references)

2. Title and Opening:

   • Title: Package name and version
   • Opening: Announcement with one-sentence package description
   • Installation: Code block with installation command
   • Overview: Brief summary with link to full release notes

3. Main Content (choose appropriate sections):

   • Migration guide (if breaking changes) - Always first when present
   • Lifecycle changes (deprecations, soft-deprecations, defunct)
   • Feature sections (one per major feature, descriptive headings)
   • Minor improvements (bulleted list)

4. Acknowledgements (when appropriate):

   • Use scripts/get_contributors.R
   • Format: "A big thank you to all the folks who helped make this release happen:"
   • Comma-separated GitHub links

Step 3: Apply Content Guidelines

Follow the best practices in references/content-guidelines.md:

• Opening style: "We're [random adjective expressing excitement] to announce the release of..."
• Section organization: Migration → Lifecycle → Features → Improvements → Acknowledgements
• Tone: Conversational, professional, enthusiastic but authentic
• Technical precision: Use exact function names in backticks
• Focus on benefits: Explain "why" not just "what"
• Code examples: Realistic, well-commented, properly formatted

Step 4: Transform NEWS Content

Convert NEWS.md bullets to blog-friendly content:

• Research features thoroughly: Don't just copy NEWS bullets—read function docs, check PRs, understand the context
• Expand context: Why changes matter, not just what changed
• Add complete code examples: Show realistic usage with full workflows, not just function signatures
• Explain concepts first: For unfamiliar features, explain what they are and how they work before showing code
• Group thematically: Combine related NEWS items into coherent sections
• Use conversational tone: Transform terse bullets into prose
• Link documentation: Add relevant links to docs and resources
• Highlight breaking changes: Make migration paths clear
• Multi-language parity (Shiny only): For R+Python packages on the Shiny blog, ensure all examples show both languages in tabsets

Step 5: Apply Platform-Specific Formatting

For Tidyverse posts, read references/tidyverse-formatting.md and apply:

• hugodown frontmatter with slug, photo.url, photo.author
• Specific slug format: packagename-x-y-z (hyphens replace dots)
• R code blocks with r language identifier
• Acknowledgements always included as final section

For Shiny posts, read references/shiny-formatting.md and apply:

• Quarto frontmatter with YAML anchors for social media
• Flexible title formatting
• Use tabsets for Python/R or Express/Core variations
• Platform-specific code block attributes
• Acknowledgements optional, varies by post type
• May use lead paragraphs, callouts, embedded media

Step 6: Generate Acknowledgements

Run the contributor script:

Rscript scripts/get_contributors.R "owner/repo"

Or with a specific starting tag for the previous version (or tag used for last release post):

Rscript scripts/get_contributors.R "owner/repo" "v1.0.0"

Copy the markdown output into the Acknowledgements section.

Step 7: Review and Polish

Platform-agnostic checklist:

• [ ] Frontmatter complete with all required fields
• [ ] Opening clearly states package purpose
• [ ] Installation code block present (both languages if applicable)
• [ ] Sections organized logically
• [ ] Code examples use proper syntax highlighting
• [ ] Function names in backticks with parentheses: `function()`
• [ ] Package names are not backticked or otherwise styled
• [ ] Tone is conversational but not marketing-speak
• [ ] No superlatives ("powerful", "rich", "seamless", etc.)
• [ ] Features explained with context, not just listed
• [ ] Concepts explained before showing code
• [ ] All examples show R and Python variants (if applicable)
• [ ] Links to full release notes included

Platform-specific checklist:

Tidyverse:

• [ ] Slug format: package-x-y-z (hyphens, not dots)
• [ ] Photo URL and author included
• [ ] Acknowledgements section is final section
• [ ] All contributors listed alphabetically

Shiny:

• [ ] YAML anchors used for description (&desc, *desc)
• [ ] Social media cards configured (open-graph, twitter-card)
• [ ] Appropriate filters specified if using tabsets/shinylive
• [ ] Tabsets used for showing paired variants (Python/R, Express/Core)
• [ ] Multi-language tabsets used consistently (for R+Python packages only)

Reference Documentation

Load these as needed for detailed guidance:

Content Guidelines

references/content-guidelines.md - General best practices for all release posts:

• Post structure and organization
• Opening style and tone
• Section hierarchy and organization
• Code examples and formatting
• Before/after patterns
• Acknowledgments conventions

Platform-Specific Formatting

references/tidyverse-formatting.md - Tidyverse blog requirements:

• hugodown frontmatter structure
• Slug and title conventions
• Photo attribution
• Code block formatting
• Lifecycle section structure
• Acknowledgements format

references/shiny-formatting.md - Shiny blog requirements:

• Quarto frontmatter with YAML anchors
• Social media card configuration
• Lead paragraphs and callouts
• Tabsets for variants
• Line highlighting and annotations
• Video embedding
• Flexible acknowledgements

Resources

• scripts/get_contributors.R: Fetch formatted contributor list using usethis::use_tidy_thanks()
• references/content-guidelines.md: General content best practices (platform-agnostic)
• references/tidyverse-formatting.md: Tidyverse-specific formatting requirements
• references/shiny-formatting.md: Shiny-specific formatting requirements

Platform-Specific Quick Reference

Tidyverse Post Template

---
output: hugodown::hugo_document
slug: package-x-y-z
title: package x.y.z
date: YYYY-MM-DD
author: Your Name
description: >
    Brief description
photo:
  url: https://unsplash.com/photos/id
  author: Photographer Name
categories: [package]
tags: [package]
---

# package x.y.z

We're pleased to announce the release of package x.y.z...

```r
install.packages("package")
```

...

## Acknowledgements

A big thank you to all the folks who helped make this release happen:

[Contributors from get_contributors.R]

Shiny Post Template

---
title: Package Name x.y.z
description: &desc |
  Brief description of the release.
author: "Your Name"
date: "YYYY-MM-DD"

image: feature.png

open-graph:
  image: feature.png
  description: *desc
twitter-card:
  image: feature.png
  description: *desc
---

# package x.y.z

We're excited to announce package x.y.z...

[Installation for Python or R]

...

Tips

• Breaking changes first: Put migration guides before features
• Highlight the wins: Lead with the most exciting features
• Show don't tell: Use code examples liberally
• Link generously: Help readers find more information
• Keep it conversational: Write like you're explaining to a colleague
• Be authentic: Enthusiasm should feel genuine, not marketing-speak