github

Platforms: GitHub

Guides GitHub for parasite SEO, GEO (AI citation), and curated list creation. GitHub is a Tier 2 Technical Authority platform—high domain authority, fast indexing, very high AI citation probability. Use for repos, README, GitHub Pages, gists, and Awesome-style navigation lists.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Why GitHub for SEO

Factor	Effect
Domain authority	High DA; repos, gists, Pages rank well
Fast indexing	Search engines crawl GitHub frequently
AI citation	ChatGPT, Perplexity cite GitHub for technical queries; Tier 2 in GEO framework
Technical expertise	Strong expertise signals; structured docs become AI reference material
Cross-platform	Share across Dev.to, Stack Overflow, forums; amplifies visibility

Use Cases

Use case	Format	Purpose
Parasite SEO	Repos, README, Pages, gists	Leverage GitHub authority for rankings and backlinks
GEO	Documentation, tutorials, curated lists	AI tools cite GitHub for technical answers
Curated / navigation lists	Awesome-style repos	Topic-specific resource directories; backlinks, discovery

Surfaces: profile vs repository

Surface	What it is	Optimization focus
Profile README	Public repo with the same name as the username; root README.md renders on the profile	Personal brand, flagship links, social proof
Pinned	Up to 6 repos or gists on the profile	Showcase top projects; align with entity signals (entity-seo)
Per-repo README	Root README.md on each repo’s Code tab	Product landing; install, proof, CTAs

Changing a normal repo README does not change the profile banner unless that content is the profile README repo or linked from it.

Profile README (username/username)

Not the same as a product repo README. Optimize for identity + navigation in ~15–40 lines of rendered content unless the user explicitly wants a long-form CV. Official setup: Managing your profile README.

Principle	Do	Avoid
Length	Short, scannable sections; omit ToC unless the file is genuinely long	Applying “500–1,500 words typical for product repos” here
Headings	### blocks (e.g. What I do · Open source · Find me) for fast eyeballing	Many nested ## + long narrative without breaks
Links	Each primary URL once in a Find me / Connect line (or badges or a slim table—not all three repeating the same destinations)	Duplicate site/LinkedIn/email in badges, tables, and prose
Repos block	Bold repo name + ≤2 short lines + at most one copy-paste command (e.g. npx skills add …) — same scan pattern popular profiles use for “flagship OSS” without cloning the repo’s full README	Full feature matrices, changelog, or install docs pasted into the profile file
Layout	Optional centered header (<div align="center">) for name + tagline + badges only; body stays left-aligned markdown for readability	Center-wrapping the entire README
Optional widgets	Compact Shields (flat style); optional github-readme-stats / star-history — third-party, treat as conversion/social proof, not core SEO	Wall of for-the-badge badges when the same CTAs are repeated in text

Minimal outline (typical profile):

1. Title + answer-first tagline (+ slim badge row).
2. ### What I do — identity, proof link(s), without repeating the same URLs again later.
3. ### Open source — bold repo links + pitches + optional one code fence.
4. ### Find me — single line of deduped links (site · bio · cases · social · email).
5. ### Activity (optional) — small github-readme-stats + star-history; alt text on <img>.

Reference pattern (high-signal, low-noise): scan-first profiles such as alchaincyf — short ### blocks, bold product/repo names, one “find me” cluster.

Entity hub pattern: When the person has a canonical site, lead with it in the opening line and mirror the same URL in Pinned / profile About (if used) so site ↔ GitHub OSS stay aligned for entity-seo.

Profile README checklist (short)

• H1 + one answer-first tagline (keywords: role, stack, domain)
• Canonical outbound links (site, social, email) deduplicated
• Pinned repos (≤6) match the story told in the README
• Optional: Activity section — group stats / star-history under one heading instead of scattering widgets
• Last updated footnote for freshness (GEO signal)

Repository home: layout map

Area	Typical contents	SEO / ops note
Main column	File list; rendered root README below	First screen and H2/H3 carry most narrative
About sidebar	Description, Website, Topics, releases shortcut, license, languages	Keep Description and README first paragraph consistent; Website should match the primary outbound CTA
Other tabs	Issues, PRs, Actions, etc.	Engagement and freshness signals

Website field: Maintained via repo Settings / About edit; prefer one canonical docs or product URL aligned with README links.

In-site discovery (high level)

Entry	Role	Caveat
Trending	Time-windowed visibility	Formula is not public; never promise ranking
Explore	Collections, themes, programs	Useful for patterns and seasonal campaigns
Topics	Topic pages tied to repository topics	Aligns with Topics metadata (see Topics section below)
Search	Query across repos and users	README + About + topics drive match quality

UI and URLs evolve; verify on github.com.

flowchart LR
  discovery[Discovery or referral]
  home[Repository home]
  readme[README and About]
  outbound[Site or docs]

  discovery --> home
  home --> readme
  readme --> outbound

Repository Name, About & README (SEO/GEO Priority)

Ranking weight (GitHub + Google): Repository name & About ≈ highest; Topics ≈ high; README ≈ high.

Repository Name

Practice	Guideline
Descriptive	Hint at what the project does
Keyword-rich	Include primary keywords (markdown-editor not my-project)
Hyphens	Separate words (react-component-library)
Concise	Shorter = memorable, shareable

About Section (Description)

Limit	Guideline
350 chars	Hard limit; GitHub enforces
~128 chars	Optimal for brevity; often displayed fully
Content	Primary keyword + natural variations; what it does, who it's for; link to website or docs if space

Example: "A fast, lightweight markdown editor for React with live preview, syntax highlighting, and export to PDF. Built with TypeScript."

Topics

Limit	Guideline
6–20 topics	Max 20; 6–10 recommended
~50 chars each	Per topic
Format	Lowercase, hyphens, numbers only
Mix	Technology (react, python), purpose (cli, library), category (seo, ai-tools), community (hacktoberfest)

Underutilized but highly effective for discoverability and GEO.

README Structure & Components

Targets repository (project) READMEs unless noted. Profile README overrides: shorter, fewer sections—see Profile README (username/username) above.

Section	Purpose	SEO/GEO
Title + tagline	H1 + 1–2 sentence summary; keywords in first paragraph	Critical; first 100 words weighted
Table of contents	Links to H2/H3; for long repo READMEs (often >500 words). Usually skip on profile README	Navigation; crawlability
Installation / Quick start	Prerequisites; exact commands; copy-paste ready	Use-case clarity
Usage examples	Code blocks; common scenarios	Citable; extractable
Screenshots / GIFs	Demo, output; alt text required	Engagement; accessibility
Badges	Build, version, license	Trust signals
Contributing	Link to CONTRIBUTING.md	Community signal
License	Link to LICENSE	Completeness

Word count: No hard limit; 500–1,500 words typical for product / library repos. Lead with value; expand later. Profile README: prefer dense brevity—long-form belongs on the canonical site or in pinned repos’ own READMEs.

README GEO / AI Citation

Practice	Guideline
Answer-first	Direct answer in first 1–2 sentences (40–60 words); profile README may compress to one punchy tagline under H1 if outbound links carry the rest
Short paragraphs	2–3 sentences max; extractable clarity
Question-style headings	H2/H3 as questions where relevant (repository READMEs); on profile README, optional — clarity of sections matters more than question phrasing
Data inclusion	Stats, numbers; cited content ~40% more likely to include data
Freshness	Update regularly; ~76% of cited content updated within 30 days

Entity signals: Clear project name, author, maintainer; consistent identity. See entity-seo.

README Checklist — repository (default)

• Project title with keywords
• Concise description in first paragraph
• H2/H3 structure; alt text for images
• Installation + usage examples
• Screenshots or demo
• Badges; Contributing; License
• Internal links to related docs/repos
• 6–20 topics on repo

(For profile username/username, use the shorter Profile README checklist under Surfaces—not every row above applies.)

Parasite SEO on GitHub

Key Surfaces

Surface	Use
README	Landing page for repo; keyword-optimized summary, headings, links
GitHub Pages	Static site; blog, FAQ, docs; additional ranking opportunities
Gists	Micro-content; long-tail keywords; link to repos or external resources
Wiki	Keyword-rich documentation
Issues	Q&A, discussions; indexable

GitHub Pages vs README

Surface	Role
README	First impression; Stars/forks; short pitch and deep links
Pages	Multi-page static site: long docs, blog, changelog

Default URL patterns: A user or organization site often uses a username.github.io repository and serves at https://username.github.io. A project site is published from a given repo and typically appears at https://username.github.io/repository/ (path may vary with settings). See About GitHub Pages.

Limits: Build size, bandwidth, and build-frequency caps change over time—cite GitHub Pages limits when users need numbers, not hard-coded figures from this skill.

Optimization

Element	Practice
Repository title	Primary keywords; descriptive; hyphens
About	350 chars max; keyword-rich; primary keyword + natural variations
Description	Secondary keywords; link to website or resources
README	Keyword-optimized summary first; headings, bullet points; screenshots; links to docs, tutorials
Topics / tags	6–20 relevant topics; 50 chars each
GitHub Pages	Mobile-friendly; metadata; blog/FAQ for extra keywords

Gists for Micro-Content

• Target specific long-tail keywords
• Link back to larger repos or external resources
• Share code snippets, small utilities

Community Engagement

• Respond to issues and PRs; builds trust
• Contribute to popular projects; backlinks, visibility
• Keep repos updated; outdated = lower credibility

GEO on GitHub

Factor	Practice
README clarity	Clear, citable paragraphs; direct answers
Documentation	Structured; AI tools parse well
Entity signals	Clear project, author identity; see entity-seo
Consistency	Active maintenance; engagement (stars, forks, watchers)

Repository archetypes

Archetype	Intent	First-screen emphasis
Product / library	Installable software, SDK, CLI, service	Install, quickstart, proof (CI, license), support path
Curated / resource	Awesome-style lists, indexes	Scope, curation bar, contribution rules
Personal profile hub	Public username/username README on the profile	Identity + canonical links + pinned flagship repos; no duplication of full product READMEs

Match metrics to type: curated lists optimize for trust and backlinks; product repos optimize for adoption and issue quality.

Curated / Navigation Lists (Awesome-Style)

Awesome lists = Curated, topic-specific resource lists on GitHub. Function like navigation directories; high traffic, backlinks, discovery. sindresorhus/awesome (441K+ stars) is the master list; 6,500+ curated lists exist across topics.

Examples by Category

Category	Examples
Master list	sindresorhus/awesome — hub of all awesome lists
SEO / Marketing	awesome-seo, awesome-ai-seo, bmpi-dev/awesome-seo
AI / ML	awesome-ai-tools, AITreasureBox, awesome-ai
Dev tools	awesome-tools, awesome-cli, awesome-nodejs
Languages	awesome-python, awesome-javascript, awesome-go
Frontend / Backend	awesome-react, awesome-vue, awesome-django
Other	awesome-security, awesome-gaming, awesome-databases

When to Create

• You have a niche with many quality resources to curate
• Existing lists lack coverage of your topic
• You want a backlink asset and topical authority

List Structure (sindresorhus/awesome guidelines)

Element	Practice
Title	Clear, focused (e.g., "Awesome SEO," "Awesome AI Tools")
Description	Succinct; scope clear
Sections	Categorized (e.g., Tutorials, Tools, Articles)
Items	Curated, not collected; only include what you recommend
Item format	- [Name](URL) - Brief description of why it's awesome
License	CC0 or similar
Contributing	contributing.md for PR process

Getting Listed vs. Creating

Action	Use
Submit to existing list	PR to awesome-* repos; follow list format; contact maintainer
Create new list	When no list exists for your niche; follow awesome guidelines
Link between lists	Link to other awesome lists that cover subjects better

Discovery

• sindresorhus/awesome — Master list of awesome lists
• AwesomeSearch — Search across awesome lists
• more-awesome — Directory of awesome lists

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Avoid
Ignoring engagement	Not responding to issues/PRs reduces trust
Irregular updates	Outdated repos signal inactivity
Incomplete docs	Lack of clear descriptions frustrates users
Generic titles	Missing keywords reduces discoverability
Thin awesome lists	Low-quality or uncurated items hurt credibility
Profile README = product README	Pasting install/Contributing/screenshot-heavy templates on username/username — use the profile checklist
Link sprawl on profile	Same homepage/social/email repeated in badges, tables, and long copy — consolidate

Output Format

• Use case (parasite SEO / GEO / curated list)
• Surface scope (profile vs specific repository; README vs Pages)
• Repository name, About, Topics (if optimizing metadata)
• Surface (README, Pages, gist, awesome repo)
• README structure (sections, word count, GEO practices if applicable) — if profile README, cite short outline + deduped links + optional widgets per Profile README section above
• Optimization (keywords, structure, links)
• Ready-to-use copy or structure where applicable

Related Skills

• parasite-seo: Parasite SEO strategy; GitHub as Tier 2 technical platform
• generative-engine-optimization: GEO strategy; GitHub for AI citation
• open-source-strategy: Open source commercialization; GitHub as primary distribution
• directory-submission: Directory and curated list submission; awesome lists as curated lists
• link-building: GitHub as link acquisition; repos, gists, awesome lists
• entity-seo: Entity signals (project, author); Organization, Person