readme-generator_skill

Overview

This skill generates or rewrites human-focused README files using current best practices. It prioritizes clear value-first descriptions, concise quick-start steps, and the right sections for the project type. Use it to produce README content ready to paste into a repository or commit if requested.

How this skill works

The skill first researches modern README conventions and examples for the target project type. It inspects project metadata and common entry files (package manifests, main entry points, tests) to identify type and requirements. It then composes a structured README with essential sections (value proposition, quick start, requirements, usage) and optional sections tailored to the project type (architecture, API summary, CLI options).

When to use it

• Creating a README for a new project
• Rewriting or modernizing an outdated README
• When a user asks “write README”, “create README”, or “update README”
• Preparing README for open-source release or contributor onboarding
• Adding README sections for specific artifacts like CLI, library, or web app

Best practices

• Always start with the one-line value proposition before implementation details
• Include a minimal Quick Start with no more than five runnable commands
• List explicit Requirements (runtime versions, hardware) when relevant
• Tailor optional sections to project type (architecture for web apps, API summary for libraries)
• Keep sentences short, use active voice, and provide runnable examples

Example use cases

• Generate README for a new CLI tool with installation, options table, and examples
• Rewrite a library README to add Quick Start, API overview, and usage snippets
• Create a web-app README including features, tech stack, and an architecture diagram
• Produce README for an AI/ML project with model details, GPU requirements, and example inference commands
• Update README to add Related Skills table linking companion automation or agent tools