Just Make it EXIST, You Can Make it Good Later: A Journey to Building a GitHub Profile README.

Dumisani Maxwell Mukuchura — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 21:30:30 +0000

As of writing this, it's been one day since I managed to build my own GitHub Profile README. Here it is → https://github.com/dumisanimukuchura

But let’s take it back for a moment — how did I get here, and what even is a GitHub Profile README?

Where It All Started
The day before yesterday, I was scrolling on X (formerly Twitter) and came across a post where someone in the Data Community asked peers to drop their portfolios. As someone in that space, I was curious. There was awesome work shared across the board — from beginners to experts — but one thing kept popping up: GitHub links.

One profile that caught my eye was from FaithMbonu → https://github.com/faith99. Seeing that inspired me to ask: How do you build a GitHub Profile README?

Naturally, I opened my browser and searched: “How to Build a GitHub Profile README?”

As expected, a flood of results poured in. Before moving forward, here's a quick breakdown:

What is a GitHub Profile README?
Definition: A GitHub Profile README is a special README file you create in a repository named exactly like your GitHub username. It appears at the top of your GitHub profile and allows you to introduce yourself, share your skills, projects, interests, and more.

Purpose: Different people use it for different reasons, such as:

Personal branding and first impressions.
Showcasing skills, projects, and achievements
Providing contact and social links
Adding fun elements like GIFs, stats, and widgets
Telling a story in your own words, beyond code

When Research Overwhelms Action
Back to my search results: I spiraled.

I opened too many tabs, skimmed endless articles, and before I knew it, I was overwhelmed and paralyzed. Nothing was getting done.
Then while back on X, I stumbled on an image that had a simple but powerful reminder:

"Just make it EXIST, you can make it good later."

That snapped me out of the loop.

Just Make it EXIST, you can make it GOOD later.

Taking the First Step
I went back to my browser, picked the first actionable step from this excellent Medium article → How to Design an Attractive GitHub Profile README.

Step one was simple: Create the special repository on GitHub and push a basic README.
I opened GitHub, created the repo, and pushed this single line:

"Hey There 👋"

No fancy design. No complicated structure. Just an existence.
Then, I closed my PC, grabbed a pen and paper, and asked myself:

What do I want out of this profile?
Who is it for?
What should it communicate?

(It’s funny — I ask these same questions when working on data projects in some way.)

Designing My GitHub Profile README
I sketched an outline of sections I could include:

Introduction: Brief bio + tagline
Contact & Socials: Email, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), personal website
Skills & Tools: Badges for languages, frameworks, databases, cloud platforms
Statistics: GitHub contribution graph, streak stats, top languages
Projects Showcase: Pinned repositories with descriptions and GIF demos
Experience & Education: Bullet points or collapsible sections
Latest Posts or Talks: Blog posts via RSS feeds
Fun Section: Hobbies, random quotes, "now playing" widgets
Call to Action: Invite to collaborate or connect

With a plan in hand, I revisited one of the tabs I had open: awesome-github-profile-readme

A goldmine of inspiration.

Building and Iterating
All the while, I kept thinking: "I hope no one checks my GitHub and just sees a lonely 'Hey There'!"

I slowly fleshed out the README, section by section, until it resembled the version I linked at the beginning.

And when I finished? I laughed.

Because if I hadn’t taken action, I would have wasted the entire weekend watching YouTube tutorials, reading more articles, and maybe even asking AI for the "perfect" way to do it — without actually BUILDING anything.

Lessons Learned

Research is important, but so is action.
In a world overflowing with information, balance is key.
Sometimes, the best way to learn is to do it imperfectly first, then improve.

Before going to bed that night, I went back to the original Twitter thread, thanked the community, and shared my newly built README.

In my mind, my GitHub Profile README became a digital version of myself — someone who can represent me in Internet Rooms where I can’t be there physically.

I made it EXIST first. Then I made it GOOD. And I will continue to update and evolve it over time.

Not a big app.
Not a massive project.
But a small shift in mindset that made a big difference.

Sharing this on a good weekend evening as I wait for more NBA Playoff games. 🚀🏀

DEV Community: Dumisani Maxwell Mukuchura

Just Make it EXIST, You Can Make it Good Later: A Journey to Building a GitHub Profile README.