Or: How I Got Tired of Seeing "TODO: Add README" on Every Repo
The Problem That Broke My Soul
Picture this: You're browsing GitHub, you find what looks like an amazing project, you click on the repo and... BAM. Either there's no README at all, or worse, there's a README that just says "My awesome project" with zero context about what it actually does.
After years of encountering these digital wastelands disguised as documentation, I finally snapped. I couldn't take it anymore. The developer in me screamed "THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!"
So I built one.
Meet Doc-Piloot (Yeah, the Name's a Story)
I wanted to call it "Doc-Pilot" because, you know, it's like having a copilot for your documentation. Makes sense, right? Wrong. Turns out that name was already taken. So here we are with "Doc-Piloot" which honestly sounds even cooler because it's got that mysterious European flair.
Doc-Piloot is your AI copilot for project documentation that automatically generates comprehensive README files for GitHub repositories. It's like having a technical writer on your team who never sleeps, never complains, and actually understands your code.
How This Magic Works
The beauty of Doc-Piloot is in its simplicity. You literally just:
- Install the GitHub App on your repository
-
Add
--docto your commit message when you push to main - Watch the magic happen
That's it. No complex configuration, no lengthy setup processes, no sacrificing your firstborn to the documentation gods.
When you push a commit with --doc in the message, Doc-Piloot springs into action:
- It analyzes your entire repository structure
- Detects programming languages and frameworks
- Understands your project's purpose and functionality
- Generates a professional README.md file
- Creates a pull request on a new branch called
update-readme
If the update-readme branch doesn't exist, it creates one. If it does exist, it updates it. It's like having a very organized, very efficient documentation assistant.
The Tech Stack (For the Nerds)
Doc-Piloot is built with some seriously cool technology:
- TypeScript Bleah... just for audience
- Google Gemini AI for the brain power
- GitHub API via Octokit for seamless integration
- Smart analysis algorithms that actually understand your code
The AI doesn't just generate generic fluff. It actually looks at your code, understands the structure, identifies the main technologies you're using, and creates documentation that makes sense.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Good documentation isn't just about being nice to other developers (though that's important too). It's about:
- Reducing onboarding time for new team members
- Making your projects more discoverable and trustworthy
- Saving your future self from the "what does this code do?" confusion
- Actually shipping projects instead of procrastinating on documentation
I've seen too many brilliant projects die in obscurity because nobody could figure out how to use them. Don't let your code become digital archaeology.
Try It Out (Seriously, Do It)
If you're tired of staring at empty README files, or if you're one of those people who's been putting off writing documentation for months, give Doc-Piloot a shot.
The worst that can happen is you get a professionally written README for free. The best that can happen is you never have to write another README from scratch again.
Because life's too short for bad documentation, and your projects deserve better than "TODO: Add README."
What's your biggest documentation pain point? Have you tried any other automated documentation tools? Let me know in the comments - I'm always looking for ways to make Doc-Piloot even better.
P.S. If you're wondering why I'm so passionate about this, it's because I've spent way too many hours trying to figure out how to use undocumented projects. Consider this my gift to future developers who just want to understand what your code does without having to reverse engineer it.
Top comments (0)