Build Readme

Q: What is a Claude Code skill and how does the Build Readme skill fit in?

A Claude Code skill is a SKILL.md file that lives under ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ and tells the Claude Code CLI agent how to perform a specific task (instructions, prompts, allowed tools). Skills are auto-discovered at session start. Build Readme is one of 67,000+ skills indexed in the open ClaudSkills catalog, classified under the Dev Tools category. Learn more at https://claudskills.com/learn/what-is-skill-md/.

Category: Dev Tools · Sub-category: scaffolders · Last updated: 2026-06-15

type:generator

Scaffolds a project's top-level README.md — the `README.md` at a repository root that orients a first-time reader in the top 30 seconds. Produces a conditionalized template with a single H1, one-sentence description, problem statement, badges block, H2 section sequence (Prerequisites → Installation → Usage → Configuration → Troubleshooting → Contributing → License), fenced code blocks with language tags, and placeholder discipline. Use when the user wants to "scaffold a README", "create a README", or "bootstrap README.md". Not for sub-package READMEs inside a monorepo, docs-site landing pages, or GitHub org-profile READMEs — those have different audiences and out of scope.

About this skill (catalog notes)

Build Readme includes a dedicated installation section; worked examples; at least one code block. At roughly 1,558 words the SKILL.md is on the longer end of the catalog distribution.

License: MIT
Original author: bcbeidel
Indexed lastmod: 2026-06-15
Catalog position: Dev Tools · scaffolders
Indexed related skills: 10

How Build Readme fits the catalog

Build Readme sits in the Dev Tools category under the scaffolders sub-topic in the ClaudSkills catalog. There are 10 related skills indexed alongside it; comparing a few before installing usually reveals which fits your workflow best.

These notes are auto-generated from features detected in the SKILL.md file and from this catalog's structure — they aren't part of the source repository.

From the source SKILL.md

Scaffold a project's top-level README.md: the first file a stranger sees after git clone, a dependency listing, or a package-registry page. The authoring rubric — what a good README does, the anatomy template, the patterns that work — lives in [readme-best-practices.md](../../_shared/references/readme-best-practices.md). This skill is the workflow; the principles doc is the rubric.

What this skill does

Build Readme is a community-contributed Claude Code skill in the scaffolders sub-category. It ships as a SKILL.md file that Claude Code auto-discovers under ~/.claude/skills/build-readme/ and loads when your prompt matches the skill's trigger.

When to invoke it: Use when the user wants to "scaffold a README", "create a README", or "bootstrap README.md".

Who uses this skill

The Build Readme Claude Code skill is built for developers, power users, and teams automating repetitive workflows and improving developer experience. It's part of ClaudSkills (also referred to as Claude Skills or Claude Code Skills) — the open community-curated registry of 117,000+ SKILL.md files for Anthropic's Claude Code agent and the wider Claude ecosystem (Claude API, Claude Agent SDK).

How to install

Free

Manual install (2 steps)

mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/build-readme
curl -L https://claudskills.com/skills/build-readme/SKILL.md \
  -o ~/.claude/skills/build-readme/SKILL.md

Or just download SKILL.md directly and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/build-readme/. Claude Code auto-discovers it on next session.

Skills live at ~/.claude/skills/build-readme/SKILL.md on macOS/Linux, or %USERPROFILE%\.claude\skills\build-readme\SKILL.md on Windows. See the full install guide for step-by-step instructions.

📱 Install from your phone or desktop Telegram

Open @claudskills_bot on Telegram, tap Open Desktop App, and the desktop app installs this skill for you. Or share the bot link with a colleague — they get the same one-tap install. Learn more →

Pro

One-click install via the desktop app

The ClaudSkills desktop app installs any skill directly into ~/.claude/skills/ with one click — no terminal required. Pro starts at $9/mo or $149 lifetime.

Pro

For the full experience including quality scoring and one-click install features for each skill — upgrade to Pro.

See pricing → Download desktop app

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the Build Readme Claude Code skill?

Install via the ClaudSkills desktop app (one click) or copy SKILL.md from the source repository to ~/.claude/skills/build-readme/SKILL.md and restart Claude Code. Both flows are detailed at claudskills.com/install/.

What does the Build Readme skill do?

Is this skill free to install?

Yes. ClaudSkills is an open registry — every skill keeps its source repository's license, and manual install via copy is free. ClaudSkills Pro ($9/mo, $79/yr, or $149 one-time) adds one-click install via the desktop app and a multi-signal Quality Score.

When should I use the Build Readme skill?

Use Build Readme when your Claude Code task falls under the Dev Tools category — specifically in the scaffolders area. Claude Code auto-discovers installed skills and invokes the right one based on the task description, so you can also ask Claude directly (e.g. "use Build Readme" or describe the task and let Claude pick). Browse related skills at /category/tools/.

What is a Claude Code skill and how does the Build Readme skill fit in?

A Claude Code skill is a SKILL.md file that lives under ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ and tells the Claude Code CLI agent how to perform a specific task (instructions, prompts, allowed tools). Skills are auto-discovered at session start. Build Readme is one of 67,000+ skills indexed in the open ClaudSkills catalog, classified under the Dev Tools category. Learn more at /learn/what-is-a-claude-skill/.

Attribution & license

Source: https://github.com/bcbeidel/toolkit/blob/HEAD/plugins/build/skills/build-readme/SKILL.md
License: MIT
Author: bcbeidel

Cite this skill

If you reference this skill in a blog post, paper, or documentation, you can cite it as:

APA

bcbeidel. (2026). Build Readme [Claude Code skill]. ClaudSkills. https://claudskills.com/skills/build-readme/

BibTeX

@misc{build-readme-2026,
  author    = {bcbeidel},
  title     = {Build Readme [Claude Code skill]},
  year      = {2026},
  publisher = {ClaudSkills},
  url       = {https://claudskills.com/skills/build-readme/}
}

Embed this skill

Promote, attribute, or link this skill from your own README, blog post, or documentation. All three snippets are free to use — no sign-up, no API key. More distribution surfaces →

Badge

[![ClaudSkills](https://claudskills.com/badge/build-readme.svg)](https://claudskills.com/skills/build-readme/?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=skill_badge)

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Browse all Dev Tools skills → Top 100 skills

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