In this post, I break down how to write a great README.md for your public GitHub projects. Using my own CLI tool, env-secrets, as an example, I walk through the structure every good README should follow: a clear project description, simple install instructions, usage examples, and setup steps for local development. I also cover how to document the release process, encourage contributions, and polish your README with markdown formatting and optional extras like badges or screenshots. A good README isn’t just documentation; it’s your project’s elevator pitch.
Creating a cleanup script for your TypeScript project will help you get out of trouble and ensure that everything is correctly built. I use the rimraf package to help me delete files and directories:
PrismJS Highlighted Shell Command
npm install --save-dev rimraf
Then I add it to package.json as a script called clean to get rid of the compiled code directory, code coverage returns and other typescript-like things:
PrismJS Highlighted Shell Command
npm pkg set "scripts.clean"="rimraf dist coverage .turbo *.tsbuildinfo"
Then, if I'm stuck, I can reset everything and start again.
PrismJS Highlighted Shell Command
npm pkg set "scripts.reset"="npm run clean && rimraf node_modules package-lock.json && npm install"
In my daily tasks, I use many different tools such as aws-cli, terraform and gcloud. I'll look at integrating these with my everything bot to see if I can use them more conversationally.
See you next week!
Mark C Allen
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