create-readme

name	create-readme
description	Create a comprehensive, well-structured README.md for the current project. Use when the user wants to create, write, or refine a project's README.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob Grep Bash(ls *) Bash(cat *) Bash(git remote *) Bash(git log *)

Role

You're a senior expert software engineer with extensive experience in open source projects. You always make sure the README files you write are appealing, informative, and easy to read.

Task

Take a deep breath, review the entire project and workspace, then create a comprehensive and well-structured README.md at the project root.

1. Investigate the project first

Before writing anything, gather the facts the README must reflect:

• Audience & README type — decide who reads this README and what it must primarily enable, then order the document around that intent:

  • Consumption-focused — users install/run/use the thing as-is (CLI tool, app, plugin/marketplace, service, template). Lead with how to add/install and use it. This is a very common case — treat it as a first-class outcome, not a fallback.
  • Library/integration-focused — developers import it into their own code. Lead with install plus API/usage examples.
  • Contribution/reference-focused — primarily about the repo's own structure and how to extend it. Give repository layout and extension steps prominence.

  Most projects are a blend; pick the dominant intent and order sections around it.

• Identity & purpose — read existing README.md (refine, don't blindly overwrite), package.json / pyproject.toml / Cargo.toml / go.mod, and top-level docs to learn the name, one-line purpose, and description.

• How it runs — detect install/build/dev/test commands, entry points, and runtime/version requirements.

• Features & usage — infer the main capabilities and the primary usage flow (CLI flags, API, config options, env vars) from source and config.

• Assets — look for an existing logo or icon (e.g. logo.*, icon.*, files under assets/, docs/, .github/). If one exists, use it in the header.

• Repository — use git remote -v to resolve the repo URL for badges and links.

Never invent commands, features, or badges you cannot verify from the project.

2. Write the README using this structure

The list below is a menu of sections ordered by a typical priority, distilled from high-quality open source READMEs — not a rigid template. Reorder, drop, and rename sections to match the README type from step 1, and lead with what the primary audience needs first. For a consumption-focused project, that usually means Installation/Getting Started and Usage come right after the overview, and developer/build details are minimized or omitted. Omit any section that does not apply rather than padding it.

1. Header — project title. If a logo/icon exists, place it centered above the title (<div align="center">…</div>). A short tagline directly under the title.

2. Badges — a single horizontal row directly under the header, only for things you can verify: build status, package version, runtime/language version requirement, code style, license. Use a consistent style (e.g. ?style=flat-square). Do not fabricate badges.

   Include GitHub repository badges (stars and issues), substituting the actual <owner>/<repo> resolved from git remote -v:

   [![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/<owner>/<repo>.svg?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/stargazers)
   [![GitHub issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues/<owner>/<repo>.svg?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/issues)
   

3. Demo / screenshot — if a demo GIF, screenshot, or animated preview exists in the repo, show it early. Skip if none exists; do not invent a path.

4. Overview — 1–3 short paragraphs: what the project is, the problem it solves, and who it's for.

5. Features — a concise bullet list of the key capabilities.

6. Getting Started / Installation — how a user gets the project working. Interpret this broadly per the README type: for a consumption-focused project this is how to add and install the thing (e.g. adding a marketplace, installing a plugin, pulling an image), including any install options/scopes shown as a table; for a library it's the package install plus prerequisites (runtime version, accounts, keys); for a buildable project it's clone + install + build/dev. Cover only what the audience actually needs.

7. Usage — the primary flow with copy-pasteable, syntax-highlighted code blocks. Document commands / flags / options / config in a table when there are several. Progress from a basic example to advanced topics.

8. Examples — concrete, realistic examples that show the project in action (when helpful).

9. Repository layout / Project structure (optional) — a directory tree with brief annotations, for projects where the layout matters to the reader (collections, monorepos, templates).

10. Extending / Adding to the project (optional) — steps for how a user adds a new unit (plugin, recipe, module, entry) when doing so is a core use case.

11. Catalog / Available items (optional) — a table listing what the project offers (e.g. available plugins, commands, presets) when the project is a collection.

12. Resources / Links — pointers to deeper docs, related projects, or upstream references (only real ones).

3. Style and formatting rules

• Use GFM (GitHub Flavored Markdown) throughout: fenced code blocks with language hints, tables, task lists, and reference links.

• Use GitHub admonition syntax where appropriate, with the right type:

  • > [!NOTE] — neutral clarifications.
  • > [!TIP] — optional, helpful shortcuts.
  • > [!IMPORTANT] — information the user must not miss.
  • > [!WARNING] — consequences of getting something wrong.

  Example:

  > [!NOTE]
  > This project requires Node.js >= 20.
  

• Keep a professional yet approachable tone: clear, action-oriented, and concise. Favor short paragraphs and scannable lists.

• Heading hierarchy: # for the title only, ## for major sections, ### for subsections.

• Use inline code for commands, filenames, flags, and identifiers.

• Do not overuse emojis. A single header icon or sparse, purposeful accents are fine; avoid emoji on every bullet.

• Keep it concise and to the point — prefer fewer, denser sections over exhaustive ones.

4. What NOT to include

• Do not add License, Contributing, Code of Conduct, Changelog, or Security sections — those belong in their own dedicated files. You may link to them if the files exist, but do not write their content into the README.
• Do not include placeholder text, TODOs, or sections with no real content.
• Do not include frequently-changing metadata (version numbers, release dates, changelogs) directly in the README. These belong in manifest files (plugin.json, package.json, etc.) or a dedicated CHANGELOG. Inlining them creates a maintenance burden and causes the README to go stale.

5. Finish

Write the file to the project root and report:

• The path written and whether it was created or refined.
• The sections included (and any notably omitted, with the reason).
• Any logo/badge/demo assets you used or chose to skip because they were missing.