Free Resource · Algorithm Intelligence
The X Algorithm Playbook
On May 15, 2026, xAI published the complete source code for X's For You feed. I read it and turned it into a content strategy for founders and creators. Not tips. Not guesswork. The actual algorithm.
Source: github.com/xai-org/x-algorithm · Released 2026-05-15
The Scoring Formula
Every post has a score. Here's the formula.
Phoenix — xAI's Grok-based transformer — predicts 15 user action probabilities for every post, for every user. Each probability is multiplied by a signed weight. The sum is your score.
Score = Σ ( weighti × P(actioni) )
Negative actions have negative weights — a report cancels dozens of likes
👤
Follow Author
+++
💬
Reply
++
🔁
Quote Tweet
++
📤
Share
++
❤️
Favorite / Like
+
⏱️
Dwell Time
+ (silent)
🔍
Profile Click
+
🖼️
Photo Expand
+
⚠️
Report
———
🚫
Block Author
——
🔇
Mute Author
—
👎
Not Interested
—
What's Inside
6 sections. Every tactic is traceable to source code.
The 15-action scoring formula
Every post gets a score = Σ(weight × P(action)). Positive actions, negative actions, and the exact hierarchy that matters.
The 5 levers that build reach
Reply, Quote, Follow, Dwell, Share — ranked by weight with specific tactics for each. Not generic advice.
The 4 signals that bury you
Report, Block, Mute, Not Interested carry negative weights. One report cancels dozens of likes. How to avoid them.
7-day execution plan
Day-by-day instructions to cluster-position yourself, generate the right early signals, and launch your first optimized thread.
The 5 Rules
The non-negotiables.
01
Reply and quote beat likes
Write for conversation. A post with 10 replies scores higher than one with 200 likes.
02
Every post needs a follow reason
What does following you unlock? If you can't answer in 8 words, you won't collect follow signals.
03
Dwell is real — optimize for it
Dense formatting, images that reward zooming. The model measures time-on-post silently.
04
1–2 posts per day maximum
Author diversity attenuation kills flooding. One excellent post beats five average ones.
05
Seed the first 15 minutes
Who replies first sets your audience trajectory. Engineer it, don't leave it to chance.
Free. No email. No paywall.
Open it in your browser and hit “Save as PDF.” Share it with anyone building a brand on X.
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