Discussion on: How to write a good README? #discuss

I usually structure my READMEs like this:

• Quick description of what the project is and what it does
• A quickstart "tutorial" on how to start using it
  • Requirements
  • Installation
  • Configuration
  • How to use it
• An update/upgrade guide (unless it's quite complex, then I'll just put a link to a wiki page or something)
• Where to find the docs
• How to contribute to the project
• How to report bugs in the project
• The license

The structure and content might vary depending on the project but that's the default "template" I use when I write a README.

I like it that way because users just need to take 5 minutes to read it and know what's what.