Skip to content
Claude with Skills

readme-generator

Instructions

Step 1: Detect the project type

Check for language and framework indicators in this order:

  • package.json — Node.js / JavaScript / TypeScript project
  • pyproject.toml or setup.py — Python project
  • go.mod — Go project
  • Cargo.toml — Rust project
  • build.gradle or pom.xml — Java / Kotlin project
  • *.gemspec or Gemfile — Ruby project

Read whichever file is found to extract the project name, version, description, and dependencies.

Step 2: Read the entry point

Based on the project type, read the main entry point:

  • Node.js: check the main field in package.json, or look for src/index.ts, src/index.js, index.ts, index.js
  • Python: look for __main__.py, the module directory, or the entry point in pyproject.toml
  • Go: main.go or cmd/<name>/main.go
  • Rust: src/main.rs or src/lib.rs

Read the first 80 lines to understand what the project does.

Step 3: Survey the structure

Run ls -1 at the project root and at the src/ (or equivalent) directory if it exists. Note top-level directories that give structure clues (cli/, api/, lib/, tests/, docs/, examples/).

Step 4: Write the README

Produce a README.md with the following sections in this order. Include a section only if there is real content for it — do not leave placeholder text in any section except Badges.

# Project Name


One sentence describing what the project does and who it is for.


## Badges


<!-- Add badges here: build status, coverage, version, license -->


## Installation


Commands to install the project. Use the package manager detected in step 1.


## Usage


The minimal example to get something working. Show a command or code snippet.
If the project has a CLI, show the most common command.
If it is a library, show an import and a basic function call.


## Configuration


If the project has configuration options (environment variables, config files, flags),
list the important ones with their defaults and descriptions.


## Contributing


Brief instructions: how to set up a dev environment, how to run tests, how to submit a change.


## License


State the license. Read the LICENSE file if present to confirm.

After writing the README, tell the user which sections have placeholder content (Badges) and which sections they should review for accuracy (Usage examples especially benefit from human review).