GitHub introduced a small but powerful feature in July 2020 called the “Special repository for your profile”. This allows you to create a public repository with the exact same name as your GitHub username. The README.md of this repository will be displayed at the top of your profile page.
Before this feature existed, GitHub profiles only showed personal information in a small left-hand panel, while the majority of the page was occupied by repositories, contributions, and activity. With a GitHub Profile repository, you can now showcase flashy effects, personal introductions, and more directly on your profile—perfect for those who enjoy customizing their page.
Although this feature has been around for 5 years, I just discovered it recently and found it really fun. In this blog, I’ll share how to enable this feature and spruce up your profile page.
Step 1: Create a Repository
First, you need to create a repository with the exact same name as your username (not your nickname). When creating the repository, GitHub will show a confirmation message indicating that you’ve successfully enabled your special repository.
Make sure to enable the “Add a README file” option during creation:
Step 2: Verify on Your Profile
Once the repository is created, go back to your GitHub profile. You’ll see your default README content displayed at the top of your page:
Step 3: Add Some Cool Widgets
After creating your repository, any edits you make to the README will automatically update your profile page. To make your profile more eye-catching, here are some popular tools and widgets:
1. GitHub Readme Stats
Display your GitHub stats in a neat chart format. Add the following line to your README (replace username with your own):
[](https://github.com/anuraghazra/github-readme-stats)
Example output:
You can also customize the theme colors via parameters.
2. GitHub Streak Stats
Show your contribution streaks with a visual chart. Add this to your README (replace user with your username):
[](https://git.io/streak-stats)
Example output:
Theme customization is also supported.
3. GitHub Profile Trophy
Showcase your GitHub achievements as trophy badges. Add this to your README (replace username with your own):
[](https://github.com/ryo-ma/github-profile-trophy)
Example output:
4. Skill Icons
Display your software development skills using icons. Copy the icon links from the website and paste them in your README:
Full usage instructions: skill-icons GitHub
5. GitHub Profile Readme Generator
Automatically generate a visually appealing README for your profile by filling out information on this site: Generator Website. No manual editing required.
6. Awesome Profile README Collections
- abhisheknaiidu/awesome-github-profile-readme – A collection of great GitHub profile examples for inspiration.
- durgeshsamariya/awesome-github-profile-readme-templates – Another collection of profile README templates, updated more recently.
With these tools, you can turn your GitHub profile into a visually appealing, informative page that highlights your skills, activity, and achievements. Have fun customizing!
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