community-rule/docs/CONTENT_CREATION_GUIDE.md

Content Creation Guide

A simple guide for creating blog content for Community Rule.

How to Upload an Article

Here's how to contribute a new article:

1. Fork the repository (if you haven't already)
2. Create a new branch for your article: git checkout -b add-my-article-title
3. Create your article file in the content/blog/ directory
4. Test locally (optional but recommended):
   • Run npm install to install dependencies
   • Run npm run dev to start the development server
   • Visit http://localhost:3000/blog/your-article-slug to preview
5. Commit your changes:

   git add content/blog/your-article.md
   git commit -m "Add article: Your Article Title"
   

6. Push to your fork:

   git push origin add-my-article-title
   

7. Create a pull request in Gitea with:
   • Clear title describing your article
   • Brief description of what the article covers
   • Any relevant context or notes for reviewers

Quick Start

1. Copy the template: Use content/blog/_template.md as your starting point
2. Create your file: Use a descriptive filename with hyphens (e.g., my-article-title.md)
3. Fill in the frontmatter: Complete the required fields
4. Write your content: Follow the formatting guidelines
5. Test locally: Run npm run dev to preview your article
6. Submit for review: Get feedback before publishing

Required Frontmatter

---
title: "Your Article Title Here"
description: "A brief, compelling description of what this article covers"
author: "Author Name"
date: "2025-01-15"
related: ["slug-of-related-article-1", "slug-of-related-article-2"]
thumbnail:
  vertical: "your-article-slug-vertical.svg"
  horizontal: "your-article-slug-horizontal.svg"
banner:
  horizontal: "your-article-slug-banner.svg" # md+ breakpoint banner image
background:
  color: "#F4F3F1" # Page background color (hex)
---

Field Guidelines

• title: Clear, descriptive title (50-60 characters for SEO)
• description: Compelling summary (150-160 characters for SEO)
• author: Author name or organization
• date: Publication date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• related: Array of article slugs (use filename without .md)
• thumbnail: Custom images for article thumbnails (optional)
• banner.horizontal: Banner image for md+ breakpoints (optional)
• background.color: Page background color as a hex code (e.g., #F4F3F1)

Related Articles

The slug is different from the title - it's lowercase with hyphens instead of spaces:

• Title: "Resolving Active Conflicts" → Slug: resolving-active-conflicts
• Title: "Operational Security for Mutual Aid" → Slug: operational-security-mutual-aid
• Title: "Making Decisions Without Hierarchy" → Slug: making-decisions-without-hierarchy

Content Formatting

• Write in paragraph form, separated by blank lines
• Use bold for emphasis on important points
• Use italics for subtle emphasis
• Use ## headings to break up sections within your content
• Keep paragraphs focused and readable
• Write in a conversational, accessible tone

Thumbnail Images

Add custom thumbnail images to make your article stand out:

1. Create your images:

   • Vertical: 260px × 390px
   • Horizontal: 320px × 225.5px (minimum width)
   • Format: SVG preferred, PNG also works

2. Save in public/content/blog/:

   • your-article-slug-vertical.svg
   • your-article-slug-horizontal.svg
   • your-article-slug-banner.svg (optional, for md+ breakpoints)

3. Add to frontmatter:

   thumbnail:
     vertical: "your-article-slug-vertical.svg"
     horizontal: "your-article-slug-horizontal.svg"
   banner:
     horizontal: "your-article-slug-banner.svg"
   

If no thumbnails are provided, default images will be used.

Background Color

Set the content page background using a hex color in frontmatter:

background:
  color: "#F4F3F1" # Use any valid hex code

File Naming

Use descriptive, URL-friendly filenames:

• ✅ getting-started-with-organizing.md
• ✅ digital-security-best-practices.md
• ❌ My Article Title.md
• ❌ article1.md

Getting Help

• Check the template file for examples
• Ask questions in community channels
• Contact the content team for support

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