Create a News Article
Create a News Article
We are using the blog feature of Docusaurus for the news on cardano.org. It creates a page for each blog post, but also a blog index page, a tag system, an RSS feed.
Guidelines for creating a News Article
All news articles on cardano.org are summaries that link to existing articles. Here's what we seek and will approve for content:
- Engagement Requests: Content should encourage active participation or action from the community.
- Simplify Complex Topics: Explain complex subjects (like finance, regulation, legal issues, governance, infrastructure, operations, resilience, or development) in simple terms. Summarize significant community events such as large meetups, workshops, working group activities, votes, polls, surveys, or governance actions.
- Non-Approved Content: We will not promote content focused on sales, self-promotion, vague or general event announcements, launching new tokens/platforms/apps/services, or unsubstantiated claims about being the best, first, largest, or fastest.
- Summary: Content should primarily benefit the community, not just individuals or companies, and must link back to a detailed blog or news article for more information.
Purpose of the Summary
- The summary of a news article aims to provide readers with a brief overview of the content and encourage them to read the full article.
Content of the Summary
- Keep the summary concise (40-60 words) and informative, highlighting the key points of the article.
- Avoid adding additional information or personal opinions not present in the article.
Use of Links
- Do not include additional links to external sources or resources within the summary. Links within the summary should only direct to internal pages of the website offering relevant content.
Formatting and Structure
- Write the summary in clear, understandable sentences.
- Ensure proper formatting for readability.
Review and Approval
- Before merging the pull request, the summary is reviewed for accuracy, relevance, and compliance with this guideline.
Why this guideline?
This guideline ensures that readers receive a concise and informative preview of the article without being distracted by external sources. Additionally, it helps prevent the attraction of individuals posting articles solely for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) purposes, maintaining the integrity of the platform's content.
Have a relevant news article, meetup recap, or blog post but not the technical know-how to create a pull request yourself? No problem! Just fill out our form, and we will review your suggestion. Please note that we only accept submissions that comply with the guidelines mentioned on this page.
Understanding the author file
Every news article needs an author. You can find the authors file in /blog/authors.yml. An example entry looks like:
builderfest:
name: Buidler Fest
url: https://buidl.2024.cardano.org
image_url: /img/authors/builderfest.png
Use an absolute image_url starting with /img/authors/ (the file lives in static/img/authors/). Relative paths break because the author data is rendered on several routes, for example /news and /news/tags/<tag>. The optional title field adds a one-line role or tagline under the name.
src/data/authors.json is generated from authors.yml by yarn build-authors, which runs as part of yarn start and yarn build, so other pages can import the same author data. Edit authors.yml only, never the JSON.
Required Frontmatter
Every news article must declare the following fields at the top of its index.md:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
slug | The URL path under /news/. Must be unique across the site. |
title | The headline shown on the article page, in listings, and in social cards. |
description | A 140-160 character meta description used by search engines and social previews (Google snippet, OG card, Twitter card). This is not the same as the in-post summary. |
authors | One or more author handles defined in /blog/authors.yml. |
tags | One or more categories from the fixed set (see News Article Tags). Any tag outside that set fails the build. |
Writing a good description
The description answers the question "What is this article about, in one sentence?" A reader scanning Google results decides in under a second whether to click. The description must:
- Stand alone (do not assume the reader has the title in front of them)
- Stay under ~160 characters or it will be truncated by search engines
- Avoid duplicating the title verbatim
- Trigger search intent (use the words people would search for)
- Be factual; do not embellish
Examples:
| Good | Why |
|---|---|
description: "Cardano Foundation publishes the December 2025 financial report covering revenue, treasury holdings, grants, and operating costs." | Tells the reader exactly what the post contains. Includes searchable terms. |
description: "Lace wallet v1.23 ships an updated price feed for Cardano native tokens, alongside Mithril support for node v10.4.1." | Concrete, names releases, no fluff. |
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
description: "Read more about this exciting news from the Cardano ecosystem!" | Says nothing. No keywords, no specifics. |
description: "{{title}}" | Duplicates the title. Search engines penalize this. |
Create your first Post
Create a new folder in /blog with the name 2024-04-14-hello-world. Then create an index.md in this folder with the following content:
---
slug: hello-world
title: Hello World!
description: A short greeting and our first post on cardano.org, demonstrating how the news system works for new contributors.
authors: [builderfest]
tags: [community]
---
Congratulations, you have made your first news article!
Feel free to play around and edit this post as much as you like.
As you can see, we have used builderfest as the author and the news article uses all the data from /blog/authors.yml. The slugdefines the url, it must be unique. The news article is now available at http://localhost:3000/news/hello-world and it will look like this:
Add Co-Author and an image
Copy an image into the 2024-04-14-hello-world folder, then follow the highlighted instructions to add another author and to incorporate the image into the news article:
---
slug: hello-world
title: Hello World!
description: A short greeting and our first post on cardano.org, demonstrating how the news system works for new contributors.
authors: [builderfest, taptools]
tags: [community]
---
Congratulations, you have made your first news article!
Feel free to play around and edit this post as much as you like.
For banners and other graphic media, please use the following file formats:
Images: .png, .jpg (or .jpeg), .webp, and .svg.
The first inline image in the post () is also used as the article's thumbnail in the homepage news section. A relative image from the post folder is downscaled to an 800 px wide WebP at build time, an absolute /img/... path or a remote URL is used as is. Articles without an image fall back to an on-brand image for their primary category.
Themed images (separate light and dark mode versions) cannot be referenced from the post folder like this. Put them in static/img/news/ and reference them as /img/news/<file>.
The result should look like this:
Add link to the original article
Cardano.org serves as a hub rather than a primary platform for publishing articles. Consequently, articles should originate from an external source to which they can link back. It is advisable to post a concise summary of the article, approximately 50 to 60 words in length, accompanied by an appealing image.
Additionally, include a Read more link directing readers to the full article on its original website. If the article has an image, add the Read more link above it:
---
slug: hello-world
title: Hello World!
description: A short greeting and our first post on cardano.org, demonstrating how the news system works for new contributors.
authors: [builderfest, taptools]
tags: [community]
---
Congratulations, you have made your first news article!
Feel free to play around and edit this post as much as you like.
<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
[**Read more**](https://developers.cardano.org)
</div>
Do not use <!-- truncate --> marker in the news articles as it would add another Read more link.
Media Content
To enrich your news articles with media content, follow these guidelines:
Media templates typically start with "date-media," followed by the topic. Here are some examples:
https://cardano.org/news/2024-10-25-media-cardano-summit-2024-day1https://cardano.org/news/2024-08-01-media-intersects-structure-lloyd-duhon
Embedding YouTube Videos (Privacy-Friendly):
Always use the youtube-nocookie.com domain when embedding videos to ensure data privacy.
An example entry looks like:
---
slug: 2024-10-25-media-cardano-summit-2024-day1
title: "Cardano Summit 2024 - Day 1 Highlights"
description: "Recap of day one at the Cardano Summit 2024 in Dubai: keynotes, panels, the Cardano Market, and community highlights from across the ecosystem."
authors: [cf]
tags: [events]
---
An amazing first day at the Cardano Summit 2024 in Dubai! Keynotes: Unveiling the latest in blockchain innovation and envisioning Cardano’s future. Panels: Delving into real-world applications with insights from industry leaders and experts. Cardano Market: Exploring groundbreaking projects, startups, and connecting with the vibrant Cardano community. Community: Meeting passionate people from all corners of the world, exchanging ideas and experiences.
<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
[**Watch now**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE4oRFd7EpU)
</div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xE4oRFd7EpU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
News Article Tags
cardano.org uses a fixed set of seven categories, defined in /blog/tags.yml. Only these tags may be used; any other tag fails the build.
| Tag | Use for |
|---|---|
development | Development reports, protocol and node progress, tooling, integrations, releases |
research | Peer-reviewed research, Ouroboros, and scaling work |
governance | On-chain governance, Project Catalyst, Intersect, the Constitution, voting, treasury |
community | Community digests, ambassadors, and grassroots initiatives |
ecosystem | Ecosystem news, partnerships, adoption, and Cardano Foundation updates |
education | Guides, tutorials, and explainers |
events | Summits, hackathons, meetups, and event recaps |
An article may carry more than one tag. List the most relevant category first because it is shown as the article's badge in the homepage news section and is used as its main category. You can browse the category pages at https://cardano.org/news/tags
If an article fits none of the seven categories well, pick the closest one rather than inventing a new tag. The list in /blog/tags.yml is meant to stay short, so a new category needs a discussion first, not a tag added alongside an article.
AI for Article Summaries
Large Language Models (LLMs) can support the creation of concise and consistent article summaries. The provided prompt configures the LLM as a "Cardano Ecosystem Summarizer" for clear, concise summaries of news, technical updates, and ecosystem developments.
You are a highly specialized and authoritative Cardano Ecosystem Summarizer.
Your primary role is to produce precise, concise, and professional summaries of news,
technical updates, and ecosystem developments. Your output language is always English.
Adhere strictly and without exception to the following directives:
PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: Follow all rules precisely. The goal is to create summaries that
require zero re-correction.
1. SUMMARY RULES
Word Count: Each summary must be a maximum of 70 words. The ideal length is 60 to 70 words.
This is a strict limit.
Paragraph: Write in one single paragraph. Do not use line breaks.
Formatting: Do not include any links, bold, italics, or other markdown formatting.
Cryptocurrency Terminology: Use "ada" (lowercase), unless it is at the start of
a sentence or when using the ticker symbol (ADA).
Tone: Maintain a neutral, objective, and factual tone.
2. FORMATTING & TEMPLATES
For development reports and forum community digests:
Open with the most important fact of the article. Do not open with the publication
date, it is already displayed above the summary on the website.
Avoid starting with generic phrases like “This week…”, “In this edition…” or
similar filler.
For all other content (blogs, videos, etc.):
Start with a natural, informative sentence. If an author is available, you may
incorporate them.
3. PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING CONTENT
Step 1: Access Link. Attempt to access the content from the provided URL.
Step 2: Handle Failure. If you cannot access the URL, do not give up. First, try again.
If that fails, use your search capabilities to find the content.
Step 3: Report Failure. Only if both direct access and searching fail, inform the user
that you were unable to access the content.
Step 4: Summarize. If successful, create the summary according to all rules.
4. REFERENCE & GLOSSARY
Apply correct terminology consistently based on the official Cardano glossary:
https://cardano.org/glossary/
5. PERFECT SUMMARY EXAMPLE (FEW-SHOT PROMPT)
Input Link:
https://www.essentialcardano.io/development-update/weekly-development-report-as-of-2025-06-06
Perfect Output: Lace wallet v.1.23 is out, featuring a more accurate pricing feed for
Cardano native tokens in response to community feedback. On the scaling front, the Mithril
team delivered support for node v.10.4.1 and UTXO-HD in their tools and advanced the
development of the DMQ node. The Leios team finalized an analysis of overcollateralization
models, according to the weekly development report.
6. PURPOSE
These summaries are for public-facing updates. Your objective is to capture the most
important points clearly and concisely, ensuring readers are well-informed and encouraged
to explore further. Prioritize clarity, accuracy, and relevance.
Strict adherence to these instructions is mandatory at all times.
Provide this prompt as an instruction to your favorite AI tool. Afterwards, you can simply provide links to articles (e.g., blog posts, video transcripts) in the chat. The AI will then generate a summary adhering to the given specifications and considering the Cardano glossary.
Sources and Selection Criteria
To ensure your news summary is valuable to the community and meets our quality standards, please follow these guidelines for selecting sources and content.
Content Sources
The goal is to provide concise summaries that direct readers to the original, full articles from trusted sources across the ecosystem. To ensure your news summary is valuable to the community and meets our quality standards.
Your first step is to find a trustworthy and relevant news item. We focus on core sources from within the Cardano ecosystem and key external reports. Here are the primary sources to consult:
- Cardano Foundation: Look for official announcements, research papers, financial and activity reports, and strategic partnerships.
- Source: Cardano Foundation Blog
- Input Output Global: A great source for weekly development reports and deep technical insights into Cardano's technology and development.
- Source: Input Output Global Blog
- Cardano Developer Portal: Here you will find technical articles, tutorials, and quarterly development reports relevant to developers in the ecosystem.
- Source: Cardano Developer Blog
- Example: Quarterly Development Report Q2 2025
- Essential Cardano: Provides community-driven weekly development reports with concise summaries of technical progress across the ecosystem.
- EMURGO: Publishes news on commercial applications, partnerships, and products that expand the ecosystem. Explanatory articles, like the example provided, are a great fit.
- Source: EMURGO Press & News
- Example: Explainer: The Plomin Hard Fork
- Intersect: Look here for updates on governance actions, committee elections, and member-driven initiatives.
- Source: Intersect News
- Example: Intersect Committee Election Results
- Cardano Community Digest: A valuable source for bi-weekly summaries of key topics, development updates, and community activities.
- Example: Community Digest September 01, 2025
- Official Cardano Forums: A direct line to important discussions, proposals, and updates from the community.
- Source: Cardano Forum (Announcements)
- External Press: Articles from reputable media outlets about Cardano are also relevant. You can often find a selection in the Cardano Foundation Newsroom.
Content Selection Criteria
To ensure your contribution gets approved, verify that the article you choose meets the following criteria:
- Direct Relevance & Timeliness: The content must be current and directly related to the Cardano ecosystem, its technology, or its community.
- Significant Community Value: The article should provide clear value. This includes:
- Major Updates & Milestones: Announcements of significant technical upgrades, major partnerships, or key project developments.
- Governance & Participation: Information that encourages community action, such as details on upcoming votes, committee elections, workshops, or major community events.
- Educational Content: Articles that simplify complex topics (e.g., technical concepts, governance processes) and make them accessible to a broader audience.
- Media Highlights: Summaries of important official media like Summit keynotes, panel discussions, or key interviews.
- Objectivity and Credibility: The source must be credible, and the content should be factual. Avoid articles based on speculation or unverified claims.
- What to Avoid: Summaries of content focused on price speculation, token sales, pure marketing or self-promotion, or unsubstantiated claims (e.g., "the best," "the first") will not be approved.