https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist

A checklist for writing READMEs
https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist

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A checklist for writing READMEs

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist
• Owner: ddbeck
• License: cc0-1.0
• Created: 2016-05-16T21:17:40.000Z (over 8 years ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2023-03-28T11:29:57.000Z (almost 2 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-10-14T20:52:56.249Z (3 months ago)
• Homepage:
• Size: 92.8 KB
• Stars: 625
• Watchers: 21
• Forks: 77
• Open Issues: 1
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

        
# [README checklist](https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist)

by [Daniel D. Beck](https://twitter.com/ddbeck)

[checklist.md](checklist.md) is a checklist to help you write a README file

that helps readers feel confident about your project. If you write a README by

following the checklist, then your readers may more easily identify, evaluate,

use, and engage with your project. Unlike README templates, this checklist

helps you write the most important things first, not only what appears first in

the file. You can use the checklist for both closed- and open-source projects.

For more about how this checklist was created and its use, see the talk I gave

at [Write the Docs NA 2016](http://www.writethedocs.org/conf/na/2016/),

*[Write the Readable README](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dAK42B7qtw)*.

You are free to copy, modify, and distribute this checklist, even for

commercial purposes, without asking for permission. Please adapt this

checklist for your own use. See

*[Public domain dedication](#public-domain-dedication)* for details.

## How to use the checklist

View the latest version of the checklist at:

https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist/blob/main/checklist.md

This checklist is a *READ-DO* checklist. If you're starting a new README file,

follow the checklist like a recipe, reading each step and completing it, in

order. Alternatively, if you've already started a README file, you may find it

useful to treat the checklist as a *DO-CONFIRM* checklist, confirming that your

README matches the elements of the checklist after you've finished writing.

With a few exceptions, the checklist is agnostic about what order things appear

in your README or even what kind of project you're documenting. Your README may

cover other topics not covered by this checklist; the checklist covers only

those topics I found to be essential for README files.

## Contributing to this checklist

If you have suggestions for improving the checklist, please [open an issue or

pull request on GitHub](https://github.com/ddbeck/readme-checklist/).

## Public domain dedication

[This work is dedicated to the public domain (CC0

1.0)](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). To the extent

possible under law, Daniel D. Beck has waived all copyright and related or

neighboring rights to the README checklist. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for

all the legalese.