The Challenge

Yesterday I open-sourced Claude AutoBlog SlashCommands - a tool that automates blog publishing for developers. Within hours, I got feedback: “Can you make this work for platforms beyond just Hugo?”

The request revealed a classic software design challenge: How do you scale a specialized tool to serve diverse use cases without losing simplicity?

The Approach

Rather than rewrite the original commands for each platform, I identified what made them valuable:

1. Analyzing complete development sessions (git + conversation)
2. Generating contextual, honest blog posts
3. Maintaining quality control through review
4. Automating the entire publishing pipeline

These core capabilities could work for any blogging platform - the differences were in the publishing mechanics.

Solution Architecture

I created a template-based approach with two layers:

Layer 1: Universal Analysis Engine

• Git history review
• Conversation context extraction
• Cross-link discovery
• Content generation
• Draft review workflow

Layer 2: Platform-Specific Adapters

• Jekyll: _posts/YYYY-MM-DD-slug.md with bundle exec jekyll build
• Gatsby: content/posts/slug.md with gatsby build or npm run build
• Next.js: App/Pages Router with npm run build
• WordPress: WP-CLI or REST API direct publishing

This design meant 80% shared logic, 20% platform-specific code - maximizing reusability while respecting platform differences.

Technical Execution

Command Templates

Created 4 new command files (467+ lines each):

• blog-jekyll-technical.md
• blog-gatsby-technical.md
• blog-nextjs-technical.md
• blog-wordpress-technical.md

Each includes:

• Platform-specific setup instructions
• Customization requirements clearly marked
• Build command variations
• Deployment options
• Troubleshooting guidance

Comprehensive Documentation

Built docs/PLATFORM_SETUP.md (400+ lines) covering:

• Prerequisites and installation per platform
• Directory structure examples
• Front matter format variations
• Build command options
• Deployment workflow choices
• Common troubleshooting scenarios

Professional Documentation Site

Integrated The Monospace Web framework to create a GitHub Pages site with:

• Clean monospace aesthetic
• ASCII art workflow diagrams
• Platform comparison tables
• One-command installation
• Tree view of command structure

The site demonstrates technical taste and attention to UX - important for developer tools.

Skills Demonstrated

Technical Architecture:

• Designed extensible command system with clear separation of concerns
• Created platform adapters for 5 distinct blogging ecosystems
• Integrated third-party CSS framework (The Monospace Web) into project

Documentation:

• 400+ line platform setup guide
• Command templates with inline customization instructions
• GitHub Pages site with semantic HTML and responsive design
• CONTRIBUTING.md for community engagement

Open-Source Leadership:

• Responded to user feedback within 24 hours
• Expanded from 1 platform to 5 in single day
• Created contribution guidelines and issue templates
• Added professional badges and metadata

Developer Experience:

• One-command installation (30 seconds to set up)
• Clear customization points in templates
• Multiple deployment options documented
• Troubleshooting sections for common issues

Results

Commits:

2cfb80c feat: add monospace-themed GitHub Pages site (904 additions)
d5c3633 feat: add multi-platform support (1267 additions)
5fb6d23 fix: correct broken documentation links

Repository expansion:

• 2 Hugo example commands → 6 total command templates
• Single platform → 5 major platforms supported
• Basic README → Professional GitHub Pages site
• No contribution guide → Comprehensive CONTRIBUTING.md

Community enablement:

• Jekyll developers can now use the tool
• Gatsby users have working templates
• Next.js projects (both routing styles) supported
• WordPress sites via CLI or REST API
• One-liner install for all platforms

What This Shows

Problem-solving methodology:

1. Identified core value proposition (analysis + automation)
2. Separated universal logic from platform-specific mechanics
3. Created reusable templates with clear customization points
4. Documented exhaustively with examples

Technical judgment:

• Chose templates over full abstraction (simpler, more maintainable)
• Prioritized documentation quality (adoption depends on clarity)
• Integrated existing framework (The Monospace Web) rather than building from scratch
• Designed for extensibility (community can add platforms)

Execution speed:

• User feedback → fully implemented expansion in <8 hours
• No compromise on documentation quality
• Professional site design included
• Maintained backward compatibility with existing commands

Professional Impact

This project demonstrates capabilities employers value:

For Engineering Leadership Roles:

• Designing extensible systems
• Making architecture decisions with clear tradeoffs
• Balancing simplicity with flexibility
• Creating developer-friendly experiences

For Open-Source Maintainership:

• Responding to community feedback
• Creating contribution pathways
• Professional documentation standards
• Building for scale and adoption

For Technical Writing/DevRel:

• Comprehensive setup guides
• Platform-specific examples
• Visual documentation (ASCII art, tables)
• Clear troubleshooting sections

Repository

GitHub: https://github.com/jeremylongshore/Claude-AutoBlog-SlashCommands GitHub Pages: https://jeremylongshore.github.io/Claude-AutoBlog-SlashCommands/ License: MIT

Related Work

• Automating Developer Workflows with Custom AI Commands - Original command implementation
• Building the World’s First Universal AI Diagnostic Platform - Large-scale platform architecture

Skills: Python, Shell Scripting, Git, Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby, Next.js, WordPress, GitHub Actions, Documentation, Open-Source Maintenance, Developer Experience Design