Tips for Creating Great README Docs

Dragos
Dragos
Founder, robot with feelings. From planet Aiur.

In this article, we'll give you our best tips for creating great README documents.

If you work in software development, you’ve probably read many different README docs.

Some were clear and effective, and some much less so.

Since the README file often serves as the entry point for users to dive into your project documentation, it stands to reason that a well-written document can make a big difference in how users will perceive your project in general.

In other words, whether you’re developing an open-source library or repository that relies on dev community contributions or a commercial software solution that needs to appeal to end-users, you need a great README doc.

So, here are five tips on how to create one.

Take Your Audience Into Consideration

Before creating a README doc, you should define your intended audience in terms of their technical expertise, educational background, and work experience.

Simply put, who will be reading your README?

As we indicated in the intro, this will depend on the project for which you’re creating the README document.

For example, a consumer-facing mobile or web application may have a README file for non-technical users who want to learn more about the app, its features, and its installation requirements.

On the other hand, an open-source software library, command-line tool or utility, or GitHub repository will have a README file intended for a more technical audience like code contributors, external developers, and other tech-savvy users.

Source: GitHub

GitHub’s section about READMEs states:

You can add a README file to your repository to tell other people why your project is useful, what they can do with your project, and how they can use it.

In this example, your README file is intended for technical users, so that fact will shape its content and style.

In such cases, your doc should include technical details, usage examples, and explanations of the code structure and implementation because technical users expect—and rely on using—this information to better understand your project.

For instance, this means you don’t want to oversimplify the concepts and terms you’re using.

However, it’s still highly recommended to explain the technical terms and acronyms when they appear in the text to avoid any misunderstanding stemming from the readers’ individual interpretations.

Source: Flask

This will ensure the accuracy and consistency in using the technical terminology throughout the README and other documentation, regardless of your intended audience’s expertise level.

The same applies to other principles behind creating a great README we mentioned (clear and concise language, detailed explanations, and examples), as well as those covered in our tips below.

Overall, by knowing your audience and considering their level of understanding, educational background, and work experience, you can strike the right balance and create a README that meets the needs and expectations of your readers.

Include All the Essential Sections

A great README doc should include all the essential sections that readers expect to find.

Otherwise, the README doc will be of little use to readers who are trying to find out what the project is all about.

Of course, these sections will vary depending on the type of project you’re presenting, your audience's assessed level of technical knowledge, and their specific needs.

However, there are some basic sections that almost any README will have, such as the project title and description, installation and usage instructions, license and contributing information, including credits.

So, let’s start with the project title and description.

Source: GitHub

As you can see, the title should be short but informative, and the description should briefly explain what the project is and what it does.

This is also the first thing users will see when they visit your project page, so it’s important to make it clear and concise.

Next up are the installation instructions, i.e., how developers can get your project up and running.

In other words, this section should include information on any dependencies, configuration, and other requirements, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to install the product.

Source: GitHub

This section should also include any troubleshooting tips or provide a link to a separate section that deals with common installation issues users might encounter—a troubleshooting guide.

The usage section—where you provide instructions on how your project can be used—often includes examples and demos of different features and functionalities.

These are often presented in the form of visual aids, such as code snippets, GIFs, and other images, which we’ll discuss later.

For instance, the README below provides several examples of how different Axios library functions can be used and how requests should be made, backing each example with a relevant code snippet.

Source: GitHub

Of course, simpler projects may not require such examples and demos when their purpose and usage can be easily explained through text, while users of more complex projects might expect them.

Moving on, your README should (if open source) include the contributing section where users are provided information on how they can contribute to your project.

This is usually followed by credits, where you acknowledge any previous and current contributors to your project, as well as any third-party libraries or resources that were used.

Finally, the license section provides information on the legal terms under which contributors and other developers can use your project.

In summary, despite many possible variations, your README doc should follow a certain basic structure and include all the essential sections to help users quickly understand and navigate your project.

Format Your README Doc for Readability

When creating a README doc, it's important to consider how the reader will navigate and understand the information they encounter.

In other words, a README should be formatted in a way where the reader can quickly scan its contents to find the information they need, which is best done by providing a table of contents listing the essential README sections we just mentioned.

Source: GitHub

Beyond that, formatting a README doc for readability includes using:

  • headings and subheadings
  • bold and italic for emphasis
  • short paragraphs
  • bulleted and numbered lists

The overall goal of README formatting is to make the text easier to read—less cluttered or confusing—which increases the likelihood that the reader will correctly understand what is written.

To make the README doc more readable, most developers will use a formatting language, and Markdown is definitely one of the most popular options.

According to Markdown Guide:

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents.

In essence, you add Markdown syntax to the text indicating how that text should look when rendered as HTML or some other format.

Here’s an example:

Source: Markdown Guide

Formatting your README for readability in this way is easy to do with Archbee, our complete documentation platform with a simple and intuitive editor that supports Markdown formatting.

The platform makes it easy to write, structure, and format README docs using Markdown.

Source: Archbee

Moreover, since your README is only one part of your project documentation, you might also need a platform that helps you create, organize, and share all your other project documentation referenced in the README.

Archbee has you covered there, too.

Simply put, this feature-rich platform allows you to create and host (on a documentation website with your own domain) all project documents like developer guides, API documentation, knowledge base,wikis, and READMEs.

If you want readers to be able to easily navigate the contents of your README doc and understand the information they need to work with your project, it’s a good idea to use a platform that will allow you to write, structure, and format the doc for readability and accessibility.

Add Images for Visual Appeal

The nature of READMEs is clear from their name, but that doesn’t mean they need to look like a dense wall of dry technical text—and there is a real risk of that, especially when README docs are not well-formatted. This affects the reader’s experience and engagement with the text.

That’s why adding images to a README doc will make it more visually appealing to the reader.

Well-placed images—at least the logo or a relevant chart or other illustration—can break up the text and make the doc more visually appealing, like in this example.

Source: GitHub

On top of that, images can be used to showcase the key features of your project in an easily understandable way, and show what your project does.

Again, this has to do with how humans perceive images versus text.

For example, a complex interface or process may be difficult to explain with words alone, but diagrams, flowcharts, and screenshots can provide a clear visual representation that’s much easier to understand.

As for how images can be added to a README doc, you can again use Markdown, but make sure the image size and format are suitable to avoid frustrating users with slow load times.

For instance, here’s how to do that in GitHub using Markdown syntax:

Source: GitHub

Overall, adding images to your README can improve its visual appeal and help to better communicate the key features of your project to readers.

That way, you can improve their user experience and their understanding of the written text.

Split Your README Into Additional Docs

Of course, it may be tempting to put all of the information you feel your users need to know in one README file, but the result will probably not be a document that is short and to the point.

Instead, you will have a README file that’s too long, difficult to navigate (even with a table of contents included), and tiresome to read.

As we indicated a few times in this article, this issue can be prevented by splitting the README into additional docs, allowing you to cover only basic information in the main one, and link to other docs that explain that information in more detail.

For example, considering the size of the IBM-built open-source design system shown below, its README would be much longer and less comprehensible if it aimed to include all the relevant info on one page.

Instead, the opening README is short and well-organized, with multiple links directing the reader to other pertinent information.

Source: GitHub

This way, a shorter README acts more like an entry point from which you can explore more detailed docs covering these topics, which is very practical for more complex projects.

In such cases, the README serves a function similar to the landing page on your dedicated documentation website, should you decide your team and/or users need one.

Summing up, splitting your README into several docs and thus providing only the most important info in the main document, along with links to relevant additional resources, will ensure that readers have a clear overview and understanding of the project, as well as easy access to more detailed information.

Conclusion

To create a great README doc, you need to be aware of the intended audience, and make sure it doesn’t omit any essential sections so that the readers can find all the information they might need and expect from such a document.

To ensure its readability, you need to format it properly and add images for visual appeal.

Finally, if it becomes too big, split the README into several docs that give the interested party more insights about specific areas without overburdening the main document.

By applying these tips, you can effectively communicate what your project is, what it does, and how to use it, enabling users to quickly understand and easily find their way through your project.

The end result?

A great README showcasing your project and professionalism, satisfied and engaged users, and much less time spent on repetitive explanations and support requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to create a well-written README file for project documentation in software development?
Expand FAQ
A well-written README file serves as the entry point for users to dive into your project documentation. It makes a big difference in how users will perceive your project in general. Whether it's for an open-source library, repository, or a commercial software solution, a great README can effectively communicate what the project is and how to use it. This can lead to satisfied and engaged users, and less time on repetitive explanations and support requests.
What is the importance of considering the audience while creating a README document?
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Defining your intended audience in terms of their technical expertise, educational background, and work experience before creating a README is crucial. The audience could range from non-technical users who want to learn more about an app, to technical ones who are code contributors, external developers, etc. Hence, the content, style, and technical details included in your README will depend on who will be reading it. Therefore, understanding your audience helps create a README that meets the needs and expectations of the reader.
What are the essential sections that should be included in a README file?
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A README file should include all the essential sections that readers expect to find, such as the project title and description, installation and usage instructions, license and contributing information, and credits. These sections will vary depending on the type of project, your audience's level of technical knowledge, and their specific needs. Despite variations, the README doc should follow a basic structure to help users quickly understand and navigate the project.
How can formatting and visuals help improve a README file?
Expand Button
Formatting a README for readability includes using headings, subheadings, short paragraphs, and bulleted lists. This makes the text easier to read. Using a formatting language like Markdown can also help. Adding images to a README doc can make it more visually appealing to the reader. Images can break up the text, showcase key features, and provide a clear visual representation of complex ideas, making them easier to understand.
Why might it be beneficial to split a README file into additional documents?
Expand Button
Splitting the README into additional documents can prevent it from being too long, difficult to navigate, and tiresome to read. By doing so, you can cover only the basic information in the main README, and link to other documents that explain the information in more detail. A short README acts like an entry point from which you can explore more detailed docs covering various topics, making it practical for more complex projects.

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