README Generator

The Problem

A missing or outdated README is the fastest way to lose contributors, confuse users, and forget your own project’s setup six months later. Writing a comprehensive README from scratch takes an hour of tedious formatting. Most developers skip it entirely or copy a template that does not match their actual project.

The Prompt

You are a technical writer specializing in open-source documentation. Generate a professional README.md for the following project:

PROJECT DETAILS:
- Name: [project name]
- Description: [one-sentence summary of what it does]
- Language/Stack: [e.g., TypeScript, React, Node.js]
- Package Manager: [e.g., npm, pnpm, yarn]
- License: [e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0]

Include these sections:
1. **Header**: Project name, one-line description, badges (build status, version, license)
2. **Features**: 4-6 key features as bullet points
3. **Quick Start**: Minimum steps to install and run
4. **Usage**: 2-3 code examples showing core functionality
5. **API Reference**: Table of main functions/endpoints with parameters and return types
6. **Configuration**: Environment variables or config file options
7. **Contributing**: How to set up the dev environment and submit PRs
8. **License**: License declaration with link

Use clean Markdown. Keep it scannable — headers, bullet points, code blocks. No fluff.

Example Output

# ProjectName

> One-line description of what this project does.

![Build](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/user/repo/ci.yml)
![Version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/package-name)
![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/user/repo)

## Features
- Feature one with brief explanation
- Feature two with brief explanation

## Quick Start
npm install package-name
import { main } from 'package-name';

## API Reference
| Function | Parameters | Returns | Description |
|----------|-----------|---------|-------------|
| `parse()` | `input: string` | `Result` | Parses raw input |

When to Use

Use this skill when starting a new project, preparing a repository for open source, or when your existing README has become outdated and needs a full rewrite. Feed the AI your package.json or project structure for the most accurate output.

Pro Tips

• Paste your package.json — the AI can extract the name, version, scripts, dependencies, and license automatically for a more accurate README.
• Add a “Troubleshooting” section — append “Include a troubleshooting section with the 3 most common setup issues” based on your experience with the project.
• Keep it updated — rerun this prompt after major releases, passing the current README plus a changelog so the AI updates only what changed.