readme-first-builder
Skill19 starsChanged 6 months agoMITView on GitHub
Initialize or upgrade a project to the full README First architecture from endearqb/ReadmeFirst. Use only when the user asks to initialize README First, install the README First framework, create the complete AGENTS.md + README.md + .ai/changes + .ai/decisions structure, or retrofit a repository with the README First architecture. After initialization, normal project work should follow the target project's AGENTS.md instead of this skill.
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The file
We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent
12 rules. About 0 are common, 10 are distinctive, and 2 are very specific to this project.
≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈10
Distinctive · estimate
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
2
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.
- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Distinctive: line 10
Use this skill as a one-time initializer or upgrader for a project-level README First architecture.
- Very specific: line 14
Read references/readmefirst-source.md for the upstream repository and file roles.
- Distinctive: line 19
When network access is available, inspect the latest upstream files before initializing.
- Distinctive: line 24
If AGENTS.md is missing, create it from the upstream ReadmeFirst AGENTS.md content, then adapt only project-specific placeholders if …
- Distinctive: line 25
If AGENTS.md already exists, merge the README First protocol into it without overwriting local rules.
- Distinctive: line 26
Ensure the root README.md acts as the project map: purpose, setup, commands, top-level directory responsibilities, and links to important …
- Very specific: line 27
Create .ai/changes/ and .ai/decisions/ if missing.
- Distinctive: line 28
Add or update directory-level README.md files only for key long-lived directories.
- Distinctive: line 30
Verify paths and commands mentioned in the generated docs.
- Distinctive: line 34
Never overwrite an existing AGENTS.md or README.md blindly.
- Distinctive: line 35
Treat existing project rules as local authority unless they conflict with safety or the user's explicit request.
- Distinctive: line 37
If the upstream AGENTS.md conflicts with existing project instructions, report the conflict and choose the least destructive merge.
≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
README First Builder
Purpose
Use this skill as a one-time initializer or upgrader for a project-level README First architecture. Do not use it as the default way to write every README after a project already has AGENTS.md; once initialized, the target project's own AGENTS.md becomes the operating protocol.
Canonical Source
Read references/readmefirst-source.md for the upstream repository and file roles. The canonical project is endearqb/ReadmeFirst:
README.md: principle and architecture explanation.AGENTS.md: executable agent protocol.
When network access is available, inspect the latest upstream files before initializing. If network is unavailable, explain that the initialization is based on the locally known structure and recommend a later sync.
Initialization Workflow
- Inspect the target project root and confirm whether
AGENTS.md,README.md, and.ai/already exist. - If
AGENTS.mdis missing, create it from the upstream ReadmeFirstAGENTS.mdcontent, then adapt only project-specific placeholders if necessary. - If
AGENTS.mdalready exists, merge the README First protocol into it without overwriting local rules. Keep stricter or project-specific local rules. - Ensure the root
README.mdacts as the project map: purpose, setup, commands, top-level directory responsibilities, and links to important directory READMEs. - Create
.ai/changes/and.ai/decisions/if missing. Add lightweight starter templates only when useful. - Add or update directory-level
README.mdfiles only for key long-lived directories. Do not cover generated, dependency, cache, build, log, or temporary directories. - Record the initialization in
.ai/changes/YYYY-MM-DD.md. - Verify paths and commands mentioned in the generated docs.
Existing File Rules
- Never overwrite an existing
AGENTS.mdorREADME.mdblindly. - Treat existing project rules as local authority unless they conflict with safety or the user's explicit request.
- Preserve user-authored prose and append or merge README First sections.
- If the upstream
AGENTS.mdconflicts with existing project instructions, report the conflict and choose the least destructive merge.
Handoff After Initialization
End by telling future agents to follow the newly created or merged project AGENTS.md. For later ordinary code, documentation, review, or refactor tasks, use the project's own AGENTS.md and relevant directory READMEs rather than re-triggering this skill.
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