README Generator & Live Preview
Write or paste your Markdown in the wide panel on the left and see the exact preview on the right, just as it would look on GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket. Use the toolbar to insert formatting or full sections (badges, table of contents, installation, usage, license) without memorizing the syntax. Everything runs locally — nothing is uploaded anywhere.
The preview updates as you type. Use the toolbar to insert formatting or full sections.
What to include in a great README
- A clear title and a one-line description of what the project does and who it is for.
- Build, version and license badges to convey trust at a glance.
- Copy-pasteable installation instructions (as a code block) with no ambiguous steps.
- A minimal usage example that works when copied and pasted as-is.
- A license section: without one, nobody can legally reuse your code with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Is my Markdown uploaded to a server?
No. All processing and rendering happens in your browser with JavaScript; the text you type is never sent anywhere.
What Markdown flavor does this generator use?
A broad subset of GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM): headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, images, lists, task lists, blockquotes, tables, inline code and fenced code blocks with a language tag. Raw embedded HTML is not rendered, for safety.
Does it work for GitLab, Bitbucket or npm?
Yes. Any platform that renders standard Markdown (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, npm, PyPI) will display the result in essentially the same way as this preview.
How do I add badges?
Use the "Badges" button in the section menu to insert a shields.io example, or paste your own badge URL inside image syntax: .
Can I download the result as README.md?
Yes, the "Download README.md" button generates the exact .md file from the editor content, ready to drop into the root of your repository.
What's the difference between "README" and "README.md"?
They're the same thing: README.md is simply a README file written in Markdown format (the .md extension), which is what GitHub, GitLab and most platforms expect in order to render it automatically on the repository page.