GitHub recently released a feature that allows users to create a profile-level README to display prominently on their GitHub profile. This article walksthrough how to access this new feature. I'll also be sharing some fun GitHub profiles I've seen so far. I'd love it if you shared yours with me on Twitter @waterproofheart.
The header GIF shows what my README looks like at the time of this writing. You may notice I was recently selected to be GitHub star!
Why READMEs?
The GitHub profile-level README feature allows more content than the profile bio, supports markdown which means you can play around with the content more visually (Did someone say GIFs!?) and the README is significantally more visible as it is placed above pinned repositories and takes up as much space above the fold of the webpage as you like.
A solid README is a core-component of well-documented software and often encourages collaboration by sharing helpful context with contributors. In my opinion, a profile-level README seems like a great extension of a convention a lot of GitHub users are already familiar with. If you're looking to make project-level READMEs more awesome and helpful check out matiassingers/awesome-readme for resources and examples of compelling READMEs.
How do I create a profile README?
The profile README is created by creating a new repository that’s the same name as your username. For example, my GitHub username is m0nica so I created a new repository with the name m0nica. Note: at the time of this writing, in order to access the profile README feature, the letter-casing must match your GitHub username.
If you already have a project in a repo-named username/username and are interested in setting up a profile-level README, then I recommend either re-naming that repository or re-purposing the existing project's README based on what makes the most sense in your particular situation.
Create a new repository with the same name (including casing) as your GitHub username: https://github.com/new
Create a README.md file inside the new repo with content (text, GIFs, images, emojis, etc.)
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Commit your fancy new README!
- If you're on GitHub's web interface you can choose to commit directly to the repo's main branch (i.e.,
masterormain) which will make it immediately visible on your profile)
- If you're on GitHub's web interface you can choose to commit directly to the repo's main branch (i.e.,
Push changes to GitHub (if you made changes locally i.e., on your computer and not github.com)
Fun READMEs
The GitHub README profiles are written in Markdown which means you aren't just limited to texts and links, you can include GIFs and images. Need to brush up on Markdown Syntax? Check out this Markdown Cheatsheet.
hey, check out the new @github profile README! this is a really nice addition — I love that we can add some context (and/or nonsense) to our GitHub profiles now 😍
see mine: github.com/jlengstorf
thanks to @cassidoo for the heads up that this went live!00:45 AM - 09 Jul 2020
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@waterproofheart It's not as creative as @sudo_overflow's readme, but here's what I came up with. I also plan on adding some text below the image with links to my resume, etc.14:20 PM - 09 Jul 2020
If you're really ambitious you can use GitHub actions or other automation like bdougieYO or simonw to dynamically pull data into your README:
Check it out. I made MySpace but on @github.
github.com/bdougie - My list is power by a GitHub Action workflow 😏21:19 PM - 10 Jul 2020
Made myself a self-updating GitHub personal README! It uses a GitHub Action to update itself with my latest GitHub releases, blog entries and TILs github.com/simonw03:49 AM - 10 Jul 2020
Serverless functions can also be used to dynamically generate information (for example your current Spotify activity):
Nate Moore@n_moore
I embedded a @Spotify Now Playing widget in my @github profile README!
It's an SVG rendered on the fly via @vercel serverless function, included in the README via <img> tag.
Supremely over-engineered, but I discovered lots of fun hacks in the process.
github.com/natemoo-re/nat…14:50 PM - 12 Jul 2020
I'm a huge proponent that folks should maintain a website they have complete ownership over (even if it's a no-code website solution) but this is tempting...
Yuan Tang@terrytangyuanI just created my @github profile README as well with a bunch of badges. This is really a brilliant idea. We may no longer need to maintain our personal website. We can write blogs as issues, manage Wiki and task board, free traffic analytics and CI/CD. github.com/terrytangyuan14:05 PM - 10 Jul 2020
kathy ☁️@pifafuhey, so we heard ya & are trying out a thing where you CAN have a readme on your @github profile...
@mikekavouras built it btw! re: twitter.com/pifafu/status/…22:33 PM - 27 May 2020kathy ☁️ @pifafu👋 hiii—if you use @github, i was wondering: what are some of the things you would want others on GitHub to know about you?
I've been inspired by the creative READMEs I've seen so far and am looking forward to seeing all kinds of profiles in the upcoming months.
Oldest comments (45)
Not wanting to plug my self but I think my profile also looks pretty nice and has a few easter eggs:
github.com/rodrigograca31
I saw someone post theirs the other day with a fun animation. I hadn't realized this was a new feature so I thought they were just joking around. But this is great! I'm going to have to do some brainstorming on mine. Maybe I'll see how much of my design skills I can use in it as well!
I have created Developer Profile repository with a bunch of GitHub profiles so that others will get inspiration to create their own. Do consider to contribute with your profile also.
Only downside I can see to this is that the README seems meant to be a living document. Mine is a bunch of gifs now, but later I could update it to actually be professional or something and less awesome.
You may update it later in the repo also.
I see screenshots got added recently, nice! :)
Such a cool feature!!!
I had quite a few good ones submitted, you should add yours as well.
🤓 What's on your GitHub Profile
Waylon Walker ・ Jul 9 ・ 1 min read
dillinger.io/ give it a shot. Quiet handy tool
My Github.
For more cool templates.
I've set mine up to automatically pull in my latest uploads from YouTube, using a Netlify Serverless function:
github.com/jacques-blom
I did my own have a look:
Github Profile /punitkmryh
Is there any way in markdown to do a responsive image (ie. different images for different widths)?
You can use an img tag in GitHub markdown, but it doesn't support srcset.
What a nice feature!
This is going to my to-do for future build!
Thanks 👍
I made mine after seeing this post thanks a lot.
My Readme : Profile
Thanks for the steps to be followed ans also the exemples.
I have created a repository for awesome github profile aims to collect the all awesome beautiful READMEs profile and make your Profile look good & Inspire other's.
This is such an underused feature. Thanks for sharing it!
This inspired me to make my own Github readme profile.
Thx for the same :)
Here's the link : Github