Readme Maintainer

Readme Maintainer

Overview

Maintain README.md as a code-adjacent artifact: grounded in the current repository state, clear for users, and safe from hallucinated commands. Use the active assistant model in this session; do not route through readme-ai provider APIs. Default to bilingual parity (English + Simplified Chinese) unless the user explicitly asks for single-language output.

Workflow

1. Resolve target repo path:

• Default to current working directory if user does not specify a path.
• Use explicit path if the user provides one.
• Confirm README.md destination (README.md by default).

2. Collect project facts:

• Run scripts/collect_repo_facts.sh <repo-path>.
• Read existing README.md first (if present), then read only relevant source/config files.
• Prefer authoritative files: package.json, pyproject.toml, go.mod, Cargo.toml, Makefile, and entrypoint modules.

3. Draft content with repository truth as source of record:

• Keep or improve useful existing sections.
• Add missing core sections only when supported by codebase facts.
• If data is unknown, state TODO/placeholder text explicitly instead of inventing details.
• If README is bilingual or user audience is mixed, draft mirrored English and Chinese sections with equivalent meaning and scope.

4. Apply update:

• Write directly to README.md unless user asks for preview file.
• Preserve user-specific sections where possible (Contributing, Roadmap, Acknowledgements) unless user asks for full rewrite.

5. Validate before finishing:

• Re-check all commands and paths against files in repo.
• Ensure install/run/test steps exist and are executable in principle.
• Run quick sanity checks when cheap (rg for referenced scripts/targets).
• For bilingual README, run scripts/check_bilingual_readme.sh README.md and fix missing paired headings.

6. Report changes:

• Summarize what sections changed and why.
• Note any assumptions or unresolved gaps.

Required Constraints

• Use the current session model for generation and editing.
• Do not call external README generation providers or ask user for provider switching.
• Do not fabricate metrics, compatibility claims, or benchmark numbers.
• Do not claim commands work unless they are grounded in repo files.
• Default to bilingual output (## English and ## 简体中文) for externally facing project README files.
• Keep English and Chinese sections synchronized: each required section in one language must have its counterpart in the other language unless user explicitly opts out.

Output Shape

Prefer this structure, adapting to project reality:

• Project title + one-line value proposition
• Features / capabilities
• Install
• Quick start / usage
• Configuration (if applicable)
• Development and testing
• Project structure (short tree)
• Contributing / license

For bilingual mode (default), keep a mirrored section map:

• ### Project Description <-> ### 项目说明
• ### Features <-> ### 功能特性
• ### Quick Start <-> ### 快速开始
• ### Skill Catalog <-> ### 技能目录
• ### Project Structure <-> ### 项目结构
• ### Configuration <-> ### 配置 (when environment variables or service setup are required)
• ### Development and Testing <-> ### 开发与测试
• ### Contributing <-> ### 贡献指南
• ### Maintenance Guide <-> ### 维护指南
• ### License <-> ### 许可证

Read references/readme-checklist.md when drafting.

Commands

# Gather repo facts before editing README
scripts/collect_repo_facts.sh <repo-path>

# Validate bilingual section parity
scripts/check_bilingual_readme.sh README.md

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