> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.reduce.sh/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reddit

> Follow subreddits and track discussions

## Overview

Reddit sources let you aggregate top posts and discussions from subreddits relevant to your newsletter's topic. Reduce surfaces the most engaging content so you can stay informed without endless scrolling.

## How It Works

When you add a subreddit as a source, Reduce:

1. **Fetches top posts** from the past content window (e.g., past 7 days)
2. **Extracts post details** including title, body text, score, and comments
3. **Filters by engagement** to prioritize highly-upvoted or discussed posts
4. **Curates relevant threads** based on your newsletter's content window

<Note>
  Reduce focuses on posts with high engagement (upvotes and comments) to ensure quality content makes it into your newsletter.
</Note>

## Adding a Subreddit

You can add subreddits using the subreddit name or full URL:

### By Subreddit URL

```
https://www.reddit.com/r/programming
https://www.reddit.com/r/technology
```

### By Subreddit Name

```
r/programming
technology
```

<Tip>
  Drop the `r/` prefix if you prefer - Reduce handles both formats automatically.
</Tip>

## What Content Is Fetched

Reduce captures the following from each post:

* **Post title** - The full post title
* **Post body** - Text content (self-posts only)
* **Score** - Total upvotes minus downvotes
* **Comment count** - Number of comments
* **Author** - Username of the poster
* **Publish date** - When the post was created
* **Post URL** - Direct link to the discussion

<Warning>
  Reduce only fetches text-based posts. Image-only or video-only posts are excluded unless they contain substantial text in the post body.
</Warning>

## Content Freshness

Reddit sources are checked:

* **Before each delivery** according to your newsletter's schedule
* **Within your content window** - only posts newer than your lookback period are included

For example, if you have a weekly newsletter with a 7-day content window, Reduce fetches the top posts from the past 7 days.

## Tips for Choosing Subreddits

<Card title="Monitor Activity Levels" icon="chart-line">
  Active subreddits with daily posts work well for frequent newsletters. Slower subreddits are better suited for weekly or monthly cadences.
</Card>

<Card title="Balance Size and Quality" icon="scale-balanced">
  Massive subreddits (1M+ members) have high volume but variable quality. Mid-size subreddits (10K-500K members) often have better signal-to-noise ratios.
</Card>

<Card title="Check Moderation Quality" icon="shield-check">
  Well-moderated subreddits produce cleaner, more focused content. Look for clear rules and active moderation before adding a source.
</Card>

<Card title="Avoid Meme-Heavy Subreddits" icon="image">
  Subreddits focused on images or memes won't translate well to email newsletters. Stick to discussion-focused communities.
</Card>

## Examples

### Tech & Programming

* `r/programming` - General programming discussions
* `r/webdev` - Web development news and tips
* `r/MachineLearning` - ML research and applications

### Business & Startups

* `r/entrepreneur` - Entrepreneurship discussions
* `r/startups` - Startup advice and stories
* `r/SaaS` - SaaS business strategies

### Personal Finance

* `r/personalfinance` - Money management advice
* `r/financialindependence` - FIRE movement discussions
* `r/investing` - Investment strategies and news

### Science & Learning

* `r/science` - Peer-reviewed research
* `r/askscience` - Science Q\&A
* `r/philosophy` - Philosophical discussions

<Note>
  Reddit's API rate limits may affect very high-frequency newsletters. If you're running a daily newsletter with many Reddit sources, consider spreading them across multiple newsletters.
</Note>

## Content Quality Tips

<Tip>
  Preview a subreddit's "Top Posts This Week" before adding it. If the top 10 posts align with your newsletter's theme, it's a good fit.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  Combine subreddits with other source types (YouTube, X) for diverse content perspectives in your newsletter.
</Tip>