Update Readme
Research high-quality README exemplars and rewrite your repo README so new users can start in minutes.
Overview
Update-readme is an agent skill most often used in Build (also Launch, Validate) that researches README exemplars and applies structured documentation patterns to your project.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/athola/claude-night-market --skill update-readmeWhat is this skill?
- Web search query patterns for language-, framework-, and domain-specific README exemplars
- Exemplar evaluation across structure, content quality, badges, and maintenance signals
- Criteria for value proposition, quickstart clarity, runnable examples, and installation steps
- Progressive disclosure and table-of-contents patterns borrowed from well-starred repos
- Evaluation dimensions: section order, visual hierarchy, and platform-aware install docs
Adoption & trust: 1 installs on skills.sh; 304 GitHub stars; 1/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits); trending (+100% hot-view momentum).
What problem does it solve?
Your repo works but the README does not explain value, install, or a fast path to first success, so contributors and users bounce.
Who is it for?
Solo builders shipping open-source libraries, CLIs, or small SaaS repos who need a credible README without hiring a docs specialist.
Skip if: Teams with an approved docs site and IA already locked, or repos where only a one-line stub is acceptable and exemplar research would be overhead.
When should I use this skill?
You need to research README exemplars, score structure and content quality, or produce a clearer value-to-quickstart README for your repo.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a README outline and rewrite grounded in evaluated exemplars, with sections ordered from value proposition through quickstart to deeper reference.
- README section outline aligned to exemplar patterns
- Draft or updated README copy with quickstart and install blocks
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
README work is canonical on the build shelf because it ships alongside the product codebase and onboarding docs. Exemplar search, structure scoring, and progressive-disclosure editing map directly to the docs subphase.
Where it fits
Shape a README that doubles as a proof-of-concept landing page before you commit to a full marketing site.
Run exemplar searches and scoring criteria while preparing v1 docs for a new npm or PyPI package.
Refresh badges, install paths, and quickstart examples right before a Product Hunt or Hacker News post.
Align README sections with support FAQs so self-serve users find answers without opening issues.
How it compares
Use for exemplar-driven README structure instead of asking the agent to improvise markdown from memory.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is update-readme for?
Indie and solo developers who own repo documentation and want README quality comparable to well-maintained exemplars in their language or framework.
When should I use update-readme?
During Build when polishing docs, at Validate when a landing-style README must prove the idea, or at Launch when distribution depends on a clear GitHub front door.
Is update-readme safe to install?
Review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page and skim the skill sources in your workspace before letting an agent run web searches or edit repository files.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Update Readme
# Exemplar Research Patterns Detailed patterns for finding, evaluating, and documenting high-quality README exemplars. ## Web Search Query Patterns ### Language-Specific Queries ``` "GitHub [language] README best practices" "[language] framework README examples" "[language] project README badges" "[language] library documentation structure" "awesome [language] README" ``` ### Framework/Domain-Specific Queries ``` "[framework] README structure" "[domain] project README examples" (e.g., "CLI tool README examples") "[language] [project-type] documentation" (e.g., "Rust async library documentation") ``` ### Quality Indicators ``` "high star count [language] README" "well-maintained [language] project README" "[language] project documentation best practices 2024" ``` ## Exemplar Evaluation Criteria Assess each candidate README using these dimensions: ### Structure & Organization - **Section order**: Does it follow a logical progression (value → quickstart → details)? - **Progressive disclosure**: Are complex topics deferred until after basics? - **Table of contents**: Is it present and well-structured? - **Visual hierarchy**: Clear heading levels, spacing, readability? ### Content Quality - **Value proposition**: Clear statement of what the project does and why it matters? - **Quickstart clarity**: Can a new user get started in <5 minutes? - **Code examples**: Are they runnable, realistic, well-commented? - **Installation steps**: Clear, tested, platform-aware? ### Technical Communication - **Accuracy**: Does it match the actual codebase capabilities? - **Completeness**: Coverage of installation, usage, configuration, troubleshooting? - **Governance messaging**: Clear contribution guidelines, roadmap, support channels? - **Math/algorithm exposition**: For technical projects, is the theory well-explained? ### Maintenance Signals - **Recency**: Last commit within 6 months? - **Star count**: Indicator of community validation (>500 stars preferred) - **Maintainer activity**: Active issue responses, recent releases? - **CI/CD badges**: Evidence of automated quality checks? ## Citation Format Record each exemplar with full attribution: ```markdown ### Exemplar: [Project Name] - **URL**: https://github.com/[org]/[repo] - **Language**: [Primary language] - **Stars**: [count] (as of [date]) - **Last Updated**: [date] - **Relevant Patterns**: - [Pattern 1]: [Description and why it's relevant] - [Pattern 2]: [Description and why it's relevant] - [Pattern 3]: [Description and why it's relevant] - **Specific Elements to Adapt**: - [Element]: [How it applies to this project] ``` ## Storage Recommendations ### Temporary Research Notes Store research findings in a temporary file during the session: ```bash # Create research notes file cat > /tmp/readme-research.md << 'EOF' # README Exemplar Research ## [Language 1] Exemplars [Citations...] ## [Language 2] Exemplars [Citations...] EOF ``` ### Final Report Integration Include exemplar citations in the final verification report so future maintainers can: - Understand the design decisions - Revisit the sources for updates - Validate the approach against current best practices ## Example Multi-Language Research For a project with Rust backend and TypeScript frontend: 1. **Rust Exemplars** (2-3 projects) - Focus on: CLI tool patterns, installation via cargo, feature flags, performance claims 2. **TypeScript Exemplars** (2-3 projects) - Focus on: npm installation, dev environment setup, API documentation, framework integration 3. **Full-Stack Exemplars** (1-2 projects) - Focus on: How to structure README for multiple runtimes, quickstart for both components, architecture diagrams ## Quality Threshold Minimum criteria for an exemplar to be useful: - Must have >100 stars OR be from a recognized organization - README must be >200 lines (substantial content) - Must have been updated in the last year - Must demonstrate at least 3 structural patterns relevant to t