tang-vu/.agents/skills/post-devto

Dev.to Posting Skill

Platform Overview

Dev.to is a community of 1M+ developers sharing articles, tutorials, and discussions. Articles rank well on Google (high domain authority). Content ranges from beginner tutorials to advanced architecture discussions. It's one of the best platforms for building developer credibility.

Platform Constraints

• Format: Full markdown support (including code blocks, images, embeds)
• Cover Image: 1000x420 recommended (displayed at top of article)
• Tags: Up to 4 tags per article (critical for discovery)
• Series: Can group articles into a series
• Canonical URL: Supports setting canonical URL for cross-posted content
• No character limit: But 5-10 minute reads perform best (1500-3000 words)

Posting Steps (Browser Automation)

1. Navigate to https://dev.to/new
2. Wait for the editor to load (must be logged in)
3. Click on the title area and type the article title
4. Click on the body area and type the full markdown content (ASCII English only)
5. Add tags by clicking the tag input area and typing tag names
6. Click "Publish" button
7. Verify article appears on your profile

Content Format

---
title: {Compelling title with primary keyword}
published: true
tags: tag1, tag2, tag3, tag4
cover_image: {URL to cover image if available}
---

{Opening hook: why should the reader care? 2-3 sentences}

## {Section 1: Setup/Context}
{Content with code examples}

```language
// code block example

{Section 2: Main Content}

{Step-by-step with explanations}

{Section 3: Advanced Tips}

{Extra value that surprises the reader}

Conclusion

{Summary of what was covered} {CTA: follow, comment, or try it yourself}

Follow me on Dev.to for more articles on {topic}.

## Tag Strategy

| Category | Best Tags | Article Types |
|----------|-----------|---------------|
| Web Dev | javascript, webdev, react, css | Tutorials, tips, comparisons |
| Backend | node, python, api, database | Architecture, optimization |
| DevOps | devops, docker, kubernetes, aws | Guides, best practices |
| Career | career, beginners, productivity, codenewbie | Advice, stories, tips |
| AI/ML | ai, machinelearning, python, tutorial | Tutorials, projects |

> Choose the most relevant tags. The first tag becomes the primary category.

## Content Strategy
- **Tutorials win**: Step-by-step how-to articles consistently perform best
- **Code examples are essential**: Include runnable code blocks
- **Help beginners**: Beginner-friendly content has the largest audience
- **Series for depth**: Multi-part series build followers and anticipation
- **Cross-post from your blog**: Use the canonical URL feature for SEO

## SEO Optimization
- **Title**: Include primary keyword (becomes the URL slug)
- **First paragraph**: Include main keyword naturally
- **H2 headings**: Use keyword variations in section headers
- **Code blocks**: Google indexes code blocks (helps ranking)
- **Cover image**: Use alt text with keywords
- Dev.to domain authority is very high — articles rank well on Google

## Algorithm / Discovery Tips
- Articles appear on the community feed sorted by "relevant" (engagement signals)
- "Rising" tab shows articles gaining traction
- Tag feeds show articles matching specific tags
- Quality articles can be featured in the weekly newsletter (10K+ readers)
- Reactions (heart, unicorn, bookmark) all boost visibility
- Posting 2-4 articles per month is sustainable and effective

## Best Practices
- Include a cover image (articles with images get 2x engagement)
- Use headers to break up long content (scannable structure)
- Add a TL;DR at the top for long articles
- Engage with comments on your articles
- Comment thoughtfully on other developers' articles
- Use syntax-highlighted code blocks

## What to Avoid
- Clickbait titles without substance
- Pure promotional content without educational value
- Posting every day (quality > quantity)
- Ignoring comments
- Using all 4 tags for promotion-related tags

## Known Pitfalls
- Dev.to's markdown editor may handle some markdown differently than standard
- Cover image URL must be publicly accessible
- Liquid tags ({% tag %}) are Dev.to-specific and won't render elsewhere
- Very long articles may have editor performance issues

## Related Skills
- `content-writing` — Article templates and SEO integration
- `image-generation` — Dev.to cover image specs (1000x420)