README Craft
For general technical writing patterns, see technical-writer skill.
Common Failures
- Installation first -> Lead with TL;DR and value prop
- Describes what it IS -> Describe what problem it SOLVES
- No examples -> One example per feature minimum
- Hidden limitations -> Dedicated limitations section
- Single install method -> Three+ pathways
Golden Structure
Tier 1: Hero Section
<p align="center">
<img src="logo.png" width="200" alt="Project Name">
</p>
<p align="center">
<a href="..."><img src="https://img.shields.io/..." alt="CI"></a>
<a href="..."><img src="https://img.shields.io/..." alt="Version"></a>
<a href="..."><img src="https://img.shields.io/..." alt="License"></a>
</p>
<p align="center">
<b>One-line description of what problem this solves</b>
</p>
```bash
curl -sSL https://example.com/install.sh | bash
Badge templates: see [references/badge-reference.md](references/badge-reference.md)
### Tier 2: TL;DR
```markdown
## TL;DR
**Problem:** [Specific pain point users face]
**Solution:** [How this tool solves it]
| Feature | Benefit |
|---------|---------|
| Feature 1 | Quantified benefit |
| Feature 2 | Quantified benefit |
| Feature 3 | Quantified benefit |
Tier 3: Quick Start
## Quick Start
# 1. Install
curl -sSL https://example.com/install.sh | bash
# 2. Initialize
mytool init
# 3. Run core workflow
mytool process input.txt --output result.json
# 4. Verify
mytool status
Rule: 5-10 commands demonstrating the core workflow.
Tier 4: Reference Sections
- Philosophy/Design decisions
- Alternatives comparison
- Installation (multiple methods)
- Command reference
- Configuration options
- Architecture (for complex systems)
Tier 5: Support Sections
- Troubleshooting
- Limitations
- FAQ
- Contributing
- License
Section Templates
Comparison Table
## Why [Tool] Over Alternatives?
| Feature | [Tool] | Alternative A | Alternative B |
|---------|--------|---------------|---------------|
| Speed | 50ms | 200ms | 150ms |
| Memory | 10MB | 50MB | 30MB |
| Feature X | Yes | No | Partial |
**Choose [Tool] when:** [specific use case]
**Choose Alternative A when:** [specific use case]
Installation (Multiple Methods)
## Installation
### Quick Install (Recommended)
```bash
curl -sSL https://example.com/install.sh | bash
Package Managers
# macOS
brew install mytool
# Linux
apt install mytool # Debian/Ubuntu
dnf install mytool # Fedora
# Windows
winget install mytool
From Source
git clone https://github.com/user/mytool
cd mytool
make install
### Command Reference
```markdown
## Commands
### Global Flags
| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `-v, --verbose` | Increase output verbosity |
| `-q, --quiet` | Suppress non-error output |
| `--config PATH` | Use custom config file |
### `mytool init`
Initialize a new project.
```bash
mytool init # Interactive setup
mytool init --template minimal # Use template
mytool init --force # Overwrite existing
### Troubleshooting
```markdown
## Troubleshooting
### Error: "Permission denied"
**Cause:** Installation script lacks execute permissions.
**Fix:**
```bash
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh
Error: "Command not found"
Cause: Binary not in PATH.
Fix:
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence
### Limitations
```markdown
## Limitations
**Current constraints:**
| Limitation | Workaround | Planned Fix |
|------------|------------|-------------|
| Max 10MB files | Split large files | v2.0 |
| No Windows GUI | Use WSL | Under review |
| Single-threaded | Use multiple instances | v1.5 |
**Out of scope:**
- Feature X (use [Alternative] instead)
- Feature Y (not planned)
FAQ
## FAQ
<details>
<summary><b>Q: How does this compare to [Alternative]?</b></summary>
[Tool] focuses on [specific strength], while [Alternative] excels at [different use case].
</details>
Pre-Publication Checklist
Hero:
- [ ] Logo/image present
- [ ] Badges current and working
- [ ] One-liner describes the problem solved
- [ ] Quick install command visible
Content:
- [ ] TL;DR within first scroll
- [ ] Every feature has an example
- [ ] Code blocks are copy-paste ready
- [ ] 3+ installation methods documented
Trust:
- [ ] Comparison with alternatives (honest)
- [ ] Limitations documented
- [ ] Top 5 errors in troubleshooting
- [ ] All links verified
Anti-Patterns
| Do NOT | Do Instead | |--------|------------| | Start with installation | Start with value proposition | | "This tool is a..." | "This tool solves..." | | Screenshot-only demos | Executable code blocks | | Claim without example | Example per feature | | Hide limitations | Dedicated section |
Reference Examples
Study these for excellent README patterns:
- ripgrep - Benchmark data, comparison matrices
- bat - Feature highlights, visual demos
- starship - Configuration presets, install matrix
- jq - Tutorial progression, manual linking