skills/sales-devhunt/SKILL.md
DevHunt platform help — open-source developer tool launch platform ('Product Hunt for developers'). Covers free submission (DR57-62 dofollow backlink), $49 featured placement, GitHub-authenticated voting, weekly rankings, 25+ developer categories (DevOps, AI, CI/CD, API, Database, Open Source), newsletter promotion, and OSS Friends directory. Use when you want your dev tool listed on DevHunt, wondering if the DevHunt backlink is worth it, not sure how to get votes or featured placement, or deciding between DevHunt and other developer directories. Do NOT use for multi-directory launch strategy (use /sales-launch-directory). Do NOT use for Product Hunt launches (use /product-hunt-launch).
npx skillsauth add sales-skills/sales sales-devhuntInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
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Helps the user submit to, optimize listings on, and get the most from DevHunt — an open-source developer tool launch platform built by developers for developers.
If references/learnings.md exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge.
Ask the user:
What do you need help with?
What's your product?
What's your primary goal?
If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step. Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end.
If the request maps to a different skill, route:
/sales-launch-directory/sales-producthunt/sales-email-marketing/sales-checkout/sales-audience-growthOtherwise, answer directly from the DevHunt reference below.
| Detail | Value | |---|---| | URL | devhunt.org | | Founder | John Rush (@johnrushx) | | Model | Open-source daily voting + weekly rankings | | Free submission | Yes — dofollow backlink | | DR | 57-62 (sources vary; LaunchDirectories reports DR62) | | DA | 31 (Moz) | | Backlink (free) | Dofollow | | Featured placement | $49 — promoted visibility | | Authentication | GitHub login required (prevents spam) | | Categories | 25+ developer-focused (Open Source, DevOps, AI, CI/CD, Code, NoCode, Analytics, QA, API, Database, Design, Helpers, Hosting, UI Library, Marketing, Emails, Framework, Language, Crypto, Web3, Charts, IDE, Monitoring, Workflow Automation, CMS, Security, Tailwind CSS, Boilerplate) | | Traffic | ~2K-9K monthly organic visitors | | Users | 100,000+ developers claimed | | Open source | Yes — github.com/MarsX-dev/devhunt (411+ stars) | | Part of | MarsX.Dev ecosystem | | API | None public |
| Feature | Description | |---|---| | Daily voting | Time-limited voting periods — countdown timer determines ranking windows | | Weekly rankings | Products stay on homepage ~1 week ranked by upvotes | | GitHub auth | All voters and submitters authenticate via GitHub — ensures real developers | | Featured placement ($49) | Pay for promoted visibility and more exposure | | Newsletter | Featured tools promoted via newsletter and social channels | | OSS Friends | Directory of open-source-friendly tools | | Open source | Platform code is public — community can contribute improvements |
| Aspect | DevHunt | Open Launch | ProductBurst | SoloPush | MicroLaunch | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | DR | 57-62 | 65 | 46 | 46-47 | 59 | | Backlink type | Dofollow | Dofollow (conditional) | Dofollow | Dofollow | Dofollow | | Queue | None — instant | Queue (free) / next day ($12) | None — instant | None — instant | Varies | | Paid option | $49 featured | $12 premium / $59 SEO | One-time featured | Unknown | $39/mo Pro | | Auth required | GitHub | None | None | None | None | | Focus | Developer tools only | All startups | All startups | Solo makers | All startups | | Open source | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | | Voting | Daily countdown | Daily | Daily/weekly | Yes | 30-day leaderboard |
Good fit:
Not ideal:
?utm_source=devhunt&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=launchNote: DR57-62 dofollow is a strong free backlink. Pair with SoloPush (DR46, instant) and ProductBurst (DR46, instant) for immediate backlinks across multiple platforms.
The $49 featured placement gets promoted visibility. Consider it if:
Compare with alternatives: Open Launch Premium ($12 for DR65 dofollow) and OpenHunts Premium ($9.90 for DR50 dofollow) offer guaranteed backlinks at lower price points, though DevHunt's developer-only audience may be more valuable if your product targets devs specifically.
DevHunt fits into Phase 1 — Instant listings since there's no editorial queue. Submit on Day 1 alongside SoloPush and ProductBurst. The DR57-62 backlink places it between MicroLaunch (DR59) and Open Launch (DR65) in value. The developer-only audience is a unique advantage — votes come from GitHub-authenticated developers, making the social proof more credible for technical products.
Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about features and pricing that may change.
GitHub authentication is mandatory. You cannot submit or vote without a GitHub account. This is a feature (prevents spam) but also a barrier if your team doesn't use GitHub.
Developer tools only. Non-technical products (consumer apps, e-commerce stores, etc.) won't get traction here. The audience is developers looking for developer tools.
DR varies by source. LaunchDirectories reports DR62, Abun reports DR57, others report DR59. The actual DR fluctuates — treat it as "high 50s to low 60s."
Traffic is modest. ~2K-9K monthly visitors. Don't expect a traffic spike — the value is the dofollow backlink and developer-specific social proof.
$49 featured details are sparse. The exact benefits of the $49 featured placement aren't well documented. Inquire before paying.
Open source means transparent. The platform's code is public. This builds trust but also means limitations are visible.
Weekly rotation means timing matters. Products compete within their launch week. Launching during a quiet week gets more visibility than launching alongside many popular tools.
Self-improving: If you discover something not covered here, append it to references/learnings.md with today's date.
/sales-launch-directory — Coordinates submissions across 10+ startup directories with sequencing, backlink stacking, and budget allocation/sales-openlaunch — Open Launch platform help (open-source PH alternative, DR65 backlinks)/sales-openhunts — OpenHunts platform help (weekly launch cycle, DR50 backlinks)/sales-solopush — SoloPush platform help (no-pressure indie maker community, DR46)/sales-productburst — ProductBurst platform help (daily/weekly rankings, DR46)/sales-microlaunch — MicroLaunch platform help (30-day leaderboard, DR59)/sales-superlaunch — Super Launch platform help (7-day front page, DR59 dofollow for paid)/sales-firsto — Firsto platform help (fair launch platform, DR57 dofollow)/sales-tinystartups — Tiny Startups platform help (curated directory + newsletter, DR50 dofollow)/sales-producthunt — Product Hunt platform help (largest launch platform, DR91 dofollow, 5M+ visits/mo)/sales-do — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install:
npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-doUser says: "I built a CLI tool for managing Docker containers and want to launch it on DevHunt" Skill does:
User says: "Is DevHunt worth submitting to for SEO backlinks?" Skill does:
User says: "Should I pay $49 for DevHunt featured placement?" Skill does:
Symptom: Tool is live on DevHunt but receiving very few upvotes Cause: DevHunt's audience is developers — generic or non-technical products get ignored. Also, weekly competition means other tools may be getting more attention. Solution: Ensure your listing speaks to developers (technical language, code examples, integration details). Share your DevHunt listing on developer communities (GitHub, Dev.to, Twitter dev audience). Engage with other tools' comments to build visibility. Consider the $49 featured placement for a boost.
Symptom: Listed on DevHunt but backlink not appearing in Ahrefs/Moz Cause: New backlinks take time to be discovered by crawlers. DR57-62 domains get crawled regularly but not daily. Solution: Wait 2-4 weeks for crawlers to find it. Verify manually by inspecting your product page HTML on devhunt.org for a dofollow link. If confirmed dofollow in HTML but not in tools yet, it will appear.
Symptom: Want to submit but don't have a GitHub account Cause: DevHunt requires GitHub authentication for all submissions and voting to prevent spam. Solution: Create a GitHub account (free). This is a feature, not a bug — it ensures all voters are real developers, making the social proof more valuable. If your team genuinely doesn't use GitHub, consider other directories like ProductBurst or SoloPush that don't require GitHub auth.
tools
UpViral platform help — viral referral marketing and list-building platform (by Emarky) for viral sweepstakes, giveaway/reward campaigns, pre-launch waiting lists, and milestone referral programs, with REST API (app.upviral.com/api/v1/), callback-URL webhooks, PHP SDK, fraud detection (IP-based suspicious-referral flagging), A/B testing, smart leaderboards, unlockable incentives, and 30+ native ESP/CRM integrations (Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, AWeber, HubSpot, Klaviyo, Intercom) plus Zapier/Make/Pipedream/Integrately/Pabbly. Use when UpViral campaigns aren't tracking referral points correctly, deciding between Starter $79/mo annual (10K leads, 1 brand, NO API) vs Business $119/mo (25K, 2 brands, API + webhooks unlocked) vs Premium $319/mo (100K, 5 brands, dedicated account manager), the API returns errors because you're on the Starter tier where API/webhooks are gated, building an UpViral→CRM or UpViral→data-warehouse pipeline with add_contact / get_leads / get_leads_points / add_points / get_custom_fields / lists methods (uvapikey + uvmethod form-encoded POST), interpreting fraud flags where same-IP referrals get marked suspicious and you must manually activate/delete/blacklist, setting up the Callback URL (webhook) to fire on reward-unlock events, Zapier New Lead / New Reward Unlocked triggers not firing, ClickFunnels/Shopify/funnel-builder integration breaking, the drag-and-drop page builder showing broken widgets or limited customization, the setup feeling long and complicated for your first campaign, or picking UpViral over Viral Loops / KickoffLabs / Vyper / Prefinery / Gleam / KingSumo / ShortStack for a viral campaign. Do NOT use for general newsletter audience growth strategy across all platforms (use /sales-audience-growth), newsletter monetization (use /sales-newsletter), KickoffLabs-specific help (use /sales-kickofflabs), no-code merge-tag newsletter referrals (use /sales-referralkit), SparkLoop paid recommendations (use /sales-sparkloop), or full-stack multi-level Level-1/2/3 referral/affiliate tracking (use /sales-referralhero).
development
ReferralHero platform help — full-stack referral, affiliate, waitlist, contest, and NPS platform with subscriber API, webhooks, Zapier, Mailchimp/Kit/AWeber/Klaviyo/ActiveCampaign/SendLane connectors, coupon codes, multi-level referral tracking (Level 1/2/3), anti-fraud, and 5,000 calls/hour rate limit. Use when ReferralHero campaigns aren't tracking referrals correctly, deciding between PRO $199/mo (10K members, includes API + webhooks) and PREMIUM $399/mo (50K members, adds ReCaptcha + SMS verification), authentication is failing with no_token or X-API-Key header is being ignored, multi-level referral counts (Level 2/3) aren't appearing for downline subscribers, coupon group endpoints return 404 or coupon arrays max out, hitting the 5,000 calls/hour soft limit and getting too_many_calls 429s, the Mailchimp/Kit native integration is double-adding subscribers, webhook payloads aren't firing on confirmation events, importing Stripe customer IDs through transaction tracking, generating reward fulfillment when subscribers cross milestone thresholds (promote/unlock_promoted_reward), comparing ReferralHero against SparkLoop/ReferralKit/Viral Loops/GrowSurf/KickoffLabs for referral marketing, or routing referral data via add_bulk_transactions (500-transaction batch limit). Do NOT use for general newsletter audience growth strategy (use /sales-audience-growth), general newsletter monetization (use /sales-newsletter), no-code newsletter-only referral with merge-tag insertion (use /sales-referralkit), SparkLoop's paid recommendations or partner network (use /sales-sparkloop), or affiliate program strategy across many platforms (use /sales-affiliate-program).
tools
KickoffLabs platform help — viral marketing platform for pre-launch waitlists, bonus-entry giveaways, milestone-reward referral programs, leaderboard giveaways, and email opt-in bribes with REST API v1 + v2, server-side webhooks (in/out), KOL.js JavaScript library, AnyForm script for custom pages, fraud detection (duplicate_ip / bounced / duplidate_email flags), SMS verification add-on, native ESP integrations (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Brevo), website builders (Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, Weebly), Shopify, Facebook Audiences, Slack, Zapier. Use when KickoffLabs viral campaigns aren't tracking referrals correctly, deciding between Hobby $13/mo annual (500 leads/mo no A/B no reward emails) vs Premium $48/mo (2.5K + A/B + reward emails + tracking pixels) vs Business $99/mo (10K + custom email templates + custom domains + advanced reporting + 3 team) vs Enterprise $202/mo (25K + 5 team + SMS included), API key getting rejected because you embedded it in client-side JavaScript instead of server-side, can't decide whether to use v1 /subscribe vs v2 /tags/:TAG_ID/lead for lead creation, webhook payloads firing with `__fraudulent` flag and you need to interpret the duplicate_ip/bounced/duplidate_email reason codes (yes, duplidate is spelled that way in their docs), AnyForm script not posting to KickoffLabs vs native API endpoint, leaderboard endpoint returning more than 50 leads is not allowed, social_id (kid in share URLs) attribution chain breaking between v1 and v2, contest score vs lead count metrics in the webhook payload are confusing, SMS Verification only available on Premium+ as $50/mo add-on (Enterprise includes), per-month lead cap auto-upgrades at $8 per 1000 overage leads, picking between KickoffLabs and Viral Loops / UpViral / Prefinery / ReferralCandy / Voucherify for viral campaign type fit, or rate limit per tier (10-100 calls/minute) is hitting on bulk imports. Do NOT use for general newsletter audience growth strategy (use /sales-audience-growth), general newsletter monetization (use /sales-newsletter), no-code merge-tag-only newsletter referrals (use /sales-referralkit), SparkLoop paid recommendations + partner network (use /sales-sparkloop), or full-stack referral/affiliate with multi-level Level-1/2/3 tracking (use /sales-referralhero).
development
Routes any sales, marketing, ad, or GTM objective to the right specialized skill and outputs the install command for that skill plus a ready-to-paste prompt packed with the user's context. Asks clarifying questions when the objective is ambiguous, then hands back a copy-paste-runnable next step. Covers prospecting, outbound cadences, deals, proposals, forecasting, deliverability, enrichment, intent, content, coaching, CRO, SEO, launch directories, newsletters, email/SMS/push marketing, chatbots, influencer marketing, social media, employee advocacy, media relations, reviews, data hygiene, B2B advertising, retargeting, affiliate, loyalty, digital products, memberships, webinars, checkout, and platform-specific help. Use when the user has a sales or marketing question and isn't sure which skill to use, or wants a multi-skill sequence with a batch install command. Do NOT use to solve problems directly — this skill only routes.