standard-readme/spec.md

Specification

A compliant README must satisfy all the requirements listed below.

Requirements:

• Be called README.md (with capitalization).
• Be a valid Markdown file.
• Sections must appear in order given below. Optional sections may be omitted.
• Sections must have the titles listed below, unless otherwise specified.
• Must be new lines between each section.

Suggestions:

• A "Back to Top" link for longer sections can be useful, but is not required by any means.

Sections

Title

Status: Required.

Requirements:

• Title must match repository and package manager names. If any of these don't match, there must be a note in the Long Description explaining why.

Suggestions:

• Should be self-evident.

Banner

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• Does not require its own title.
• Must link to local image in current repository.
• Must appear directly after the title.

Badges

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• Does not require a title of its own.
• Must be newline delimited.

Suggestions:

• Use http://shields.io or a similar service to create and host the images.

Short Description

Status: Required.

Requirements:

• Does not require its own title.
• Must be less than 120 characters.
• Must start with >
• Must be on it's own line.
• Must match the description in the packager manager's description field.
• Must match GitHub's description (if on GitHub).

Suggestions:

• Use gh-description to set and get GitHub description.
• Use npm show . description to show the description from a local npm package.

Long Description

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• Does not require its own title.

Suggestions:

• If too long, consider moving to the Background section.

• Cover the main reasons for building the repository.

• "This should describe your module in broad terms, generally in just a few paragraphs; more detail of the module's routines or methods, lengthy code examples, or other in-depth material should be given in subsequent sections.

  Ideally, someone who's slightly familiar with your module should be able to refresh their memory without hitting "page down". As your reader continues through the document, they should receive a progressively greater amount of knowledge."

  ~ Kirrily "Skud" Robert, perlmodstyle

Table of Contents

Status: Required by default, optional for READMEs less than 100 lines.

Requirements:

• Must link to all Markdown sections in the file.
• Must start with the next section; do not include the title or Table of Contents headings.
• Must be at least one-depth: must capture all ## headings.

Suggestions:

• May capture third and fourth depth headings. If it is a long ToC, these are optional.

Security

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• May go here if it is important to highlight security concerns. Otherwise, it should be in Extra Sections.

Background

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• Cover motivation.
• Cover abstract dependencies.
• Cover intellecutal provenance: A See Also section is also fitting.

Install

Status: Required by default, optional for doc modules.

Requirements:

• Code block illustrating how to install.

Subsections:

• Dependencies. Required if there are dependencies.
• Updating. Optional.

Suggestions:

• Link to prerequisite sites for programming language: npmjs, godocs, etc.
• Include any system-specific information needed for installation.
• If there is no code in the module - for instance, a document-based module - this section is not required.

Usage

Status: Required by default, optional for doc modules.

Requirements:

• Code block illustrating common usage.
• If CLI compatible, code block indicating common usage.
• If importable, code block indicating both import functionality and usage.

Subsections:

• CLI. Required if CLI functionality exists.

Suggestions:

• Cover basic choices that may affect usage: for instance, if JavaScript, cover promises/callbacks, ES6 here.
• If relevant, point to a runnable file for the usage code.
• If there is no code in the module - for instance, a document-based module - this section is not required.

Extra Sections

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• None.

Suggestions:

• Does not require its own title.
• Any other sections that are relevant should be added here, after Usage and before API.
• Specfically, the Security section should be here if it wasn't important enough to be placed above.

API

Status: Optional.

Requirements:

• Describe exported functions and objects.

Suggestions:

• Describe signatures, return types, callbacks, and events.
• Cover types covered where not obvious.
• Describe caveats.
• If using an external API generator (like go-doc, js-doc, or so on), point to an external API.md file. This can be the only item in the section, if present.

Contribute

Status: Required.

Requirements:

• State where users can ask questions.
• State whether PRs are accepted.
• List any requirements for contributing; for instance, having a sign-off on commits.

Suggestions:

• Link to a contributing or contribute file -- if there is one.
• Be as friendly as possible.
• Link to the GitHub issues.
• Link to Code of Conduct. This is often in Contribute, or organization wide, so may not be necessary for each module.

License

Status: Required.

Requirements:

• State license initials or name.
• State license owner.
• Must be last section.

Suggestions:

• Link to longer License file in local repository.