Write a changelog, from your commits

Fill in a short form and get a tidy README.md with install steps, usage, configuration and license, or a CHANGELOG.md in the Keep a Changelog format. See the result as you type. Everything is written in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded. It is free.

How to make a README, step by step

1. Choose README.md at the top.
2. Under About the project, enter the Project name, a One-line summary, a Description, and the Features and Requirements, one per line.
3. Under Install and use, pick a Package manager such as npm, pip or Cargo, add the Repository URL, and write your Usage. Choose the Usage language so the code is formatted correctly.
4. Add Settings and Development commands if they apply.
5. Choose a License and Copyright holder, and turn on the Table of contents, License badge or Contributing section as needed.
6. Press Copy Markdown or Download README.md.

What makes a good README

Say what the project does in one line, then show how to install it and the smallest example that works. Readers decide in seconds whether a project fits, so features and requirements come next, followed by settings, development commands, how to contribute and the license. Sections you leave empty are left out.

Changelogs people can read

The changelog follows Keep a Changelog: newest release first, each with a date and its changes grouped as Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed and Security. Keep an Unreleased section at the top for changes that have not shipped yet. With a repository address, each version links to the comparison with the one before. You can add an older release by hand, or build entries from commit messages.

Tips

• Put a working install command and a short usage example near the top.
• Name the license clearly so others know how they may use your code.
• Keep the description about what the project does for the reader, not how you built it.
• Update the changelog with each release, not just at the end.

To keep secrets and build files out of a repository, use the gitignore generator and the env example generator.

Questions

Can I start from my commit history?

Yes. Paste git log --oneline output under From commit messages. Commits written as feat:, fix:, perf: and so on are sorted into the right groups, and breaking changes marked with an exclamation mark are labelled. Edit the wording afterwards; commit messages are written for developers, changelogs for users.

Does it add the license text?

It adds a License section that names the license and points to a LICENSE file. Put the full license text in that file; the license's official page has it.

Where do the files go?

Download saves README.md or CHANGELOG.md to your device. Put it at the top level of your repository and code hosts will show it on the project page.

Which licenses can I choose?

MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL 3.0, BSD 3-Clause, ISC, MPL 2.0, Unlicense or All rights reserved, or leave the section out.