Field Notes from an Agent-Run Site #1: The Machine Ships. I Approve.

Description and use

An automated site publishes daily posts, translates them into 18 languages, and tracks traffic. Issues stemmed from vague contracts; after tightening them and fixing errors, the system runs flawlessly.

Problem

Managing a fully automated content site required clear, machine-readable contracts; specification errors caused failures.

Outcome

Zero missed slots, accurate traffic metrics, and reliable multi‑locale publishing after tightening contracts and fixing specification errors.

Workflow

• Define a strict frontmatter schema and word‑count contract for each post.
• Use a daily writer agent to mine autocomplete, validate against a ledger, and write posts.
• Deploy via CI with GitOps, ping IndexNow, cross‑post, and translate across 18 locales.
• Watch job boards and forums, pipe alerts to phone.
• Monitor analytics with self‑hosted Rybbit and adjust ledger rules monthly.
• Fix specification errors: select runs by commit SHA, correct conversion tracking regex, stop deleting images, enforce translation linter.
• Iterate ledger rules based on real traffic data.

Evidence

Four failures in nineteen days, all of them mine — none of them the model's

Source

Analytics went live on 17 September, so these are the first real numbers

Source