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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

Weekly Installs

90

Repository

posit-dev/skills

GitHub Stars

207

First Seen

Feb 10, 2026

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