Create Articles -- Tutorial

Step-by-step guide to publishing long-form articles on X/Twitter using XActions Node.js/Puppeteer automation.

Prerequisites

• Logged into x.com in your browser
• Browser DevTools console (F12 -> Console tab)
• X Premium+ subscription (articles are a Premium+-only feature)
• For Node.js usage: npm install xactions and a valid session cookie

Quick Start

1. Set up a Puppeteer session with your X login
2. Import publishArticle from src/articlePublisher.js
3. Call publishArticle(page, { title, body, coverImage })
4. The article is published to your profile

What Are X Articles?

Articles are X's long-form content format, similar to blog posts. They offer:

• No character limit (unlike tweets)
• Rich text formatting
• Cover images
• A dedicated Articles tab on your profile
• Their own URL and preview card when shared as tweets
• Full analytics (views, likes, reposts)

Configuration

Publishing an Article

import { publishArticle } from './src/articlePublisher.js';

const result = await publishArticle(page, {
  title: 'The Complete Guide to X Automation',
  body: `Your full article body goes here.

This can be as long as you need. Articles support
multiple paragraphs and long-form content.

Include technical details, analysis, tutorials,
or any content that benefits from more space.`,
  coverImage: '/path/to/cover-image.jpg',  // Optional
});

Saving a Draft

import { saveDraft } from './src/articlePublisher.js';

const result = await saveDraft(page, {
  title: 'Work in Progress: Automation Deep Dive',
  body: 'Draft content here... still working on this.',
});

Listing Articles

import { getArticles } from './src/articlePublisher.js';

const articles = await getArticles(page, 'nichxbt');
console.log(articles);
// {
//   username: 'nichxbt',
//   articles: [
//     { title: '...', preview: '...', time: '...', link: '...' },
//     ...
//   ],
//   count: 5,
// }

Getting Article Analytics

import { getArticleAnalytics } from './src/articlePublisher.js';

const stats = await getArticleAnalytics(page, 'https://x.com/nichxbt/articles/123');
console.log(stats);
// {
//   articleUrl: '...',
//   analytics: { title: '...', likes: '42', reposts: '12', views: '1,234' },
// }

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to the Article Composer

The script navigates to https://x.com/compose/article. This page is only available to Premium+ subscribers.

2. Enter the Title

The title is typed into [data-testid="articleTitle"]:

await page.click('[data-testid="articleTitle"]');
await page.keyboard.type('Your Article Title', { delay: 20 });

3. Write the Body

The body content goes into [data-testid="articleBody"]:

await page.click('[data-testid="articleBody"]');
await page.keyboard.type('Your article content...', { delay: 10 });

The body supports paragraphs (use newlines), and X's article editor provides basic formatting tools.

4. Add a Cover Image (Optional)

A cover image appears at the top of the article as a hero banner:

const coverButton = await page.$('[data-testid="articleCoverImage"]');
if (coverButton) {
  const [fileChooser] = await Promise.all([
    page.waitForFileChooser(),
    coverButton.click(),
  ]);
  await fileChooser.accept(['/path/to/cover.jpg']);
}

Recommended cover image:

• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Minimum width: 1200px
• Format: JPG or PNG

5. Publish or Save Draft

// Publish immediately
await page.click('[data-testid="articlePublish"]');

// Or save as draft
await page.click('[data-testid="articleSaveDraft"]');

Available Functions

Article vs Extended Tweet vs Thread

Tips & Tricks

• Hook in the title: The title is what appears when the article is shared. Make it compelling and clear.
• Cover image quality: A high-quality cover image significantly increases click-through rates.
• Save drafts often: Use saveDraft() periodically while writing to avoid losing work.
• Promote with a tweet: After publishing, share the article link in a tweet with a compelling summary.
• SEO value: Article titles and content are indexed by search engines, giving your content discoverability beyond X.
• Analytics: Use getArticleAnalytics() to track performance and understand what content resonates.
• Error handling: The script returns { success: false, error: '...' } if Premium+ is not available, so check the result.
• Body formatting: Use clear paragraph breaks and structure. The article editor handles basic formatting.

Troubleshooting

Related Scripts

• src/postComposer.js -- Regular tweet posting (for promoting your articles)
• src/schedulePosts.js -- Schedule a tweet linking to your article
• docs/examples/tutorials/longer-content-tutorial.md -- Extended tweets and video guide
• docs/examples/tutorials/post-content-tutorial.md -- General posting guide