Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Create README Generator agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The create-readme skill is an agent skill from the github/awesome-copilot collection that tells an AI agent to write a README.md for your project. It is aimed at open source maintainers, developers starting a new repository, and students or hobbyists who are unsure what a good README contains. By the end of this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what to check before you publish the result.
Create README Generatorgithub/awesome-copilot · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the skill. Download the create-readme ZIP from this page and unzip it. It contains SKILL.md.
- 2Choose a location. Place the unzipped folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or in the project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project.
- 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the ZIP instead.
- 4Open your project. Open the project folder you want documented so the agent can review the workspace.
- 5Ask for a README. Make a plain request such as asking the agent to create a README.md for the project.
- 6Review the draft. Check facts, commands, links and any sensitive details before you commit or publish the file.
What is an agent skill and what does create-readme do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent can load when a task matches them. The create-readme skill is one such set of instructions. Its description is simply: create a README.md file for the project.
When the skill is active, the agent reviews the whole project and workspace, then drafts a comprehensive, well-organised README.md in a clean, concise style using GitHub Markdown. The skill tells the agent to follow the structure and tone of several example READMEs it fetches by URL, to avoid overusing emojis, and to leave out LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING and CHANGELOG sections, since those belong in their own files. If the project has a logo or icon, the agent is told to use it in the header.
Install the create-readme skill
Download the ZIP for the create-readme skill from this page and unzip it. The skill files include SKILL.md. Then choose one of the following locations.
For a personal skill available across your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a skill that only applies to one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
In the Claude apps you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside the project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
How to trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. Ask the agent in plain language to write or create a README for the project you are working in. Requests like the ones below should match the skill's description.
Be specific about the project if you have several open. Mention anything the agent might miss, such as a logo file you want used, but remember the skill already asks the agent to look for one.
- Create a README.md for this project.
- Write a README for this repository that is concise and easy to read.
- Draft a README for my open source library, using the project's logo in the header if there is one.
What the skill needs and how it runs
The source lists no required prerequisites. The skill does not run scripts. It does use the network, because the agent fetches four example README files by URL to take inspiration for structure, tone and content.
Because the agent reads the whole workspace, the draft may draw on any file in the project. Review it before publishing.
- Requires: nothing listed in the skill
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: yes, to fetch the example READMEs by URL
Safety notes before you publish
The agent reads the entire workspace, so a draft can expose secrets, internal project names or private details if you publish it without review. Check every line before committing it to a public repository.
The agent writes freely from its own review, so it may get facts wrong. Verify install steps, commands, feature claims and links against your actual project. If your README must follow an exact pre-approved template or legal wording, do not rely on this skill alone.
- Check for secrets, tokens and internal hostnames
- Verify commands and feature descriptions against the code
- Confirm licence wording lives in your LICENSE file, not the README
Tips for better results
Run the skill inside the project folder so the agent can see the code, config and existing docs. Treat the output as a first draft and edit it into your own voice. Keep the file name README.md, as the skill asks for that exact name.
- Work from the project root so the whole workspace is in scope.
- Ask for a concise version if the first draft is too long.
- Add your own logo if you have one; the skill uses a logo only if it finds one.
What people use it for
- Generating a first-draft README for a new open source library before its first release.
- Documenting a small hobby or student project that has no README yet.
- Restructuring an existing project's documentation into a consistent layout.
- Creating a clean header with the project logo when one exists in the repository.
Frequently asked questions
Is the create-readme skill free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence in the github/awesome-copilot repository, which is the licence stated for this item. Check the licence file in the source repository for full terms.
What do I need to install the create-readme skill?
The source lists no required prerequisites. You unzip the skill into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
Does create-readme run scripts on my computer?
No. The skill does not run scripts. It does use the network, because the agent fetches four example README files by URL for reference.
Will the generated README include a license or contributing section?
The skill tells the agent to leave out LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING and CHANGELOG sections, because those belong in their own files. You still need to add those files yourself.
Can the skill expose private information in my README?
It can. The agent reads the whole workspace, so the draft may include secrets or internal names. Review the draft carefully before publishing it.
How is this different from a generic README template?
A template gives you fixed headings. This skill has an agent review your project and write a draft from what it finds, guided by four example READMEs. That means the content can be wrong, so you need to check it, which a template would not require.
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Our verdict
Use create-readme if you maintain an open source project, are starting a repository, or are a student or hobbyist who needs a solid first README draft quickly. Pick something else if your README must match an exact approved template or legal wording, or if your repository contains sensitive internal details you cannot review line by line before publishing.
Download the skill