And It was Written : An Introspective in the Importance of ReadMes

Prelude

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Intro

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or someone just starting your coding journey, side projects are a great way to learn, experiment, and showcase your skills. But a highly overlooked factor that can make the difference between a project that thrives and one that is forgotten: documentation. Good documentation—starting with a solid README—acts as the voice of your project. It explains what you’ve built, why you built it, and how others can use it. Without it, even the most clever code can languish unseen, unused and who wants to be lost and clueless

Define README?

A README is usually the very first file someone encounters when visiting your project repository—often displayed immediately on platforms like GitHub or GitLab. Think of it as the foyer to your work, offering visitors an accessible overview before they dive into the project itself. A typical simple README include:

• Project name and description – Explain what the project does and why it’s useful.
• Setup instructions – Provide clear steps to install and run the project.
• Usage examples – Show the project in action.
• Contribution & license details – Outline how others can participate and under what terms.

The README acts as the “face” of your project, inviting others in, shows some professionalism or considerations and guiding users on their first steps.

Why Documentation Matters

Without proper documentation, your project is like a building without telling people where the front door is. Here’s why documentation (and especially READMEs) are critical:
- Collaboration and onboarding – if you share your code, good docs help others—and future you—quickly understand how things work.
Project adoption & longevity – people are far more likely to use or contribute to projects that are easy to understand and set up. Its also great if it is documented, get it, if there is a track record on how code is released, thus contributing to its long term health/ viability.
- Professionalism – a well-documented project reflects care, quality, and reliability.
- Avoiding confusion – without documentation, users may misinterpret your project’s purpose or implementation.

Principles of Good Documentation

Creating effective documentation doesn’t mean writing a novel—it’s about being clear, concise, and structured. Keep these principles in mind:
- Clarity over cleverness – write simply. Avoid unexplained jargon.
- Logical order – guide the reader naturally from introduction, to setup, to usage.
- User-first approach – think like someone encountering your work for the first time. What’s the first thing they’d need to know? See also the KISS rule.
- Keep it up to date – Outdated documentation can frustrate users more than having none at all.

Essential Elements of a Great README

If you include nothing else, make sure your README covers these essentials:
- Project Title & Description – a one- or two-sentence summary of what your project does.
- Installation Instructions – clear steps for setup. Commands should be copy-paste ready.
- Usage Examples – show the most common use cases. Screenshots, screen recordings and GIFs are a plus.
- Features – highlight the key capabilities and what it should do.
- Configuration – explain how users can tweak settings.
- Contributing Guidelines – let others know how they can help improve your project.
- License – state the terms clearly (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0).
- Contact/Support – Who to contact for questions or reporting issues.

Expanding Beyond the README

For small side projects, a robust README may be enough. But as your project grows, consider:
- Wikis – For deep dives into concepts or architecture.
- API documentation – Auto-generated docs using tools like Sphinx (Python), JSDoc (JavaScript), or mkdocs.
- Inline comments – Self-explanatory code is best, but well-placed comments are invaluable.
- Organizing documentation into dedicated sections or a /docs folder can prevent confusion as your project scales.

Best Practices for Side Project Documentation

Start with the README—even before coding. It forces you to clarify your project’s purpose. Document as you go. Don’t wait until the end—it’s harder to recall steps later. Use visuals like screenshots, diagrams, or badges to make documentation engaging. Leverage templates – Many README generators exist, ensuring you don’t miss important sections.

Real-World Examples

Vue3’s README clearly explains the purpose, includes code examples, and links to extended docs. freeCodeCamp uses badges, visuals, and contribution guidelines that invite participation. Even small improvements—like adding installation commands or a usage demo—can dramatically improve your README’s impact.

Common Documentation Mistakes

- Outdated instructions – always update docs when you change code.
- Missing setup steps – test your README from scratch to ensure nothing is missing.
- Technical overload too soon – begin with basic usage, then move advanced details further down.
- Ignoring your audience – write for the skill level you expect your audience to have.

Conclusion

A side project is more than just code—it’s a communication tool for your skills, creativity, and problem-solving approach. By investing in a well-structured README and thoughtful documentation, it
- makes your project welcoming.
- increases its chance of adoption, use and contributions.

Build a habit that will benefit you in professional settings.
Action step: Take one of your existing side projects and spend 30 minutes improving its README. Add missing setup instructions, a usage example, and a contact section. The additional resources section should has an example of a simple ReadMe or an extensive readMe template, if you feeling like playing on the dark side. Your future self—and your users—will thank you.

Additional Resources

• Simple Readme Template/Example
• Comprenhensive ReadMe Template
• Making it pretty: Github Readme Stats
• Best-README-Template
• README driven development
• Awesome Readme Examples for Writing better Readmes

Disclaimer

This article is a personal reflection on the importance of documentation, particularly READMEs, in the context of projects ( in our usecase, side projects). It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to documentation, but rather a personal account of my experiences, insights, and recommendations. It may also be under constant revision and improvements as seen and needed.