What is a README.md?
README.md is the first thing someone reviewing your project will see, so it really needs to captivate the viewer.
What's up with the .md? It means markdown. It is a markup language for text.
Your README should explain how your project could be used and how to use it. Think of it as the front page of the project and a place to get started.
Do I need a README?
short answer, YES. Make a short README on your first commit.
Why?
Good question. There are several reasons why you NEED a README:
For reference during your project to remind yourself of the goals you set.
You know your project is great, so make it easy to understand why it is so great. No one likes trying to understand a project by reading poor documentation.
To stand out and entice people to learn more about your amazing project.
What should it include?
At a minimum, your README should include:
- A brief description of your project, what it does, and how to use it
- A demo - screen recorded and uploaded to YouTube
- Screenshots of your project
- Technologies used and the requirements
- Acknowledgements
- The developer and contact information
Resources:
Conclusion
When job searching, employers will review your top projects and having a well written README.md could help land that dream job. Also spending an extra 10-20 minutes writing up a kickass README.md could make a huge impact on how many people take the time to look at your project. Many developers will spend a lot of time adjusting the background image or fixing the letter spacing but won't make a README.md for their project. This can discourage potential employers and connections from looking further into your work. Don't be that person. Make the README.
Top comments (0)