Project inspired by a StackOverflow response!
README should be simple and short, but a good README can save time especially if it's for something like command-line parameter parsing library.
- Name of the projects and all sub-modules and libraries (sometimes they are named different and very confusing to new users).
- Descriptions of all the project, and all sub-modules and libraries.
- 5-line code snippet on how its used (if it's a library).
- Copyright and licensing information.
- Instructions to install, configure, and to run the programs.
- Other contact info (email address, website, company name, address, etc).
- A brief history if it's a replacement or a fork of something else.
- Legal notices (crypto stuff).
- ASCII characters only, if the README is written in English.
- Write it in English if possible, and ship translated version with two-letter language code extension like README.pt.
- 80 characters or less per line.
- Single empty line between paragraphs.
- Dashes under the headers.
- Indent using whitespace (0x20) not tab.