CODITECT STANDARD: README.md Files

Version: 1.0.0 Status: Production Standard Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Authority: Based on GitHub official documentation, Standard README specification, and industry best practices Scope: All README.md files in CODITECT framework, projects, and standards repositories

Executive Summary

README.md is the first point of contact for anyone encountering your project, serving as the front door to your codebase. This standard defines how to create effective README.md files that answer the critical questions What, Why, and How while employing progressive information disclosure to serve users with varying expertise levels.

Why This Matters: GitHub displays READMEs prominently on repository home pages, truncates content beyond 500 KiB, and auto-generates table of contents from headings. A well-crafted README can mean the difference between a project being adopted or ignored. Poor READMEs waste users' time, create confusion, and damage project credibility.

Core Principle: Progressive disclosure. The README should provide a clear overview and navigation roadmap, with detailed documentation living in separate files. Users should understand what your project does, why it matters, and how to get started in under 3 minutes of reading.

What This Standard Covers:

File format, location, and placement priority (.github, root, docs directories)
Essential sections (Title, Description, Installation, Usage, License) with examples
Recommended sections (TOC, Features, Quick Start, Contributing, Support) with templates
Standards repository specific patterns (index tables, status badges, category organization)
Visual hierarchy and formatting best practices (headings, lists, code blocks)
Progressive disclosure implementation (3-tier architecture)
Badge guidelines (2-4 optimal, quality over quantity)
Quick start methodology (functioning in under 10 minutes)
Quality grading criteria with detailed checklists
Complete validation checklist
Examples: Grade A standard project, Grade A standards repo, Grade B, Grade F anti-patterns
Migration guide for refactoring existing READMEs
All 30+ authoritative sources with URLs

Compliance Requirement: All README.md files in CODITECT repositories must achieve Grade B (80%) or higher compliance within 30 days of standard publication.

1. File Format and Location

1.1 File Naming

Required name: README.md (all caps, .md extension)

Rules:

Case sensitivity: Must be exact (not readme.md or Readme.md)
Encoding: UTF-8 without BOM
Line endings: LF (Unix-style)
Extension: .md (Markdown format)

Valid names:

README.md (primary, required)
.github/README.md (GitHub-specific, highest priority)

Invalid names:

readme.md (lowercase - will work but not standard)
Readme.md (mixed case - inconsistent)
README.txt (wrong extension)
README (no extension)

1.2 File Locations and Placement Priority

According to GitHub official documentation, GitHub searches for README.md files in the following priority order:

Location	Priority	Purpose	When to Use
`.github/README.md`	1 (Highest)	GitHub-specific display version	When you want different content on GitHub vs. local repository
`README.md` (root)	2 (Standard)	Primary README for the repository	Standard location - use this for most projects
`docs/README.md`	3 (Lowest)	Documentation directory landing page	When you have a docs/ directory that needs its own README

Best Practice: Use root README.md for 99% of projects. Only create .github/README.md if you need GitHub-specific content that differs from local repository README.

Monorepo Support:

For monorepos with multiple subprojects:

monorepo/
├── README.md                   # Root README (organization overview)
├── backend/
│   └── README.md               # Backend-specific README
├── frontend/
│   └── README.md               # Frontend-specific README
└── docs/
    └── README.md               # Documentation landing page

Each README should focus on its scope while linking to root README for organizational context.

1.3 Technical Specifications

File Size Limits:

GitHub displays up to 500 KiB of README content
Content beyond 500 KiB is truncated when viewed on GitHub
Recommended size: Under 50 KB for optimal readability

Automatic Features:

Table of Contents: GitHub auto-generates TOC from headings (requires 2+ headings)
- Access via menu icon in file header
- Works on headings H2 (##) through H6 (######)
- H1 (#) typically reserved for title (not included in auto-TOC)
Anchor Links: GitHub auto-generates anchor links on heading hover
- Format: #heading-text (lowercase, spaces to hyphens, special chars removed)
- Example: ## Quick Start Guide → #quick-start-guide
Relative Links: Recommended over absolute URLs
- Works when repository is cloned locally
- Format: [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md) or [Docs](docs/API.md)
- Absolute URLs break when repository is forked or cloned

2. Core Principles

2.1 Answer What, Why, How

Every README must answer three fundamental questions within the first 200 words:

1. What is this project?

Clear, concise description (1-3 sentences)
Project purpose and primary functionality
What problem does it solve?

Example (Good):

# PaymentFlow

PaymentFlow is a Python library that simplifies payment processing across multiple providers
(Stripe, PayPal, Square) with a unified API. Instead of learning each provider's SDK, use one
consistent interface for all payment operations.

Example (Bad):

# Project

This is a payment thing that does stuff with APIs.

2. Why should someone care?

Unique value proposition
Key differentiators from alternatives
Primary benefits

Example (Good):

**Why PaymentFlow?**
- ✅ One API instead of learning 3+ payment SDKs
- ✅ Built-in retry logic and error handling
- ✅ Provider failover (automatically switch if primary fails)
- ✅ 50% less code than using SDKs directly

Example (Bad):

It's good because it works.

3. How do I use it?

Installation instructions
Smallest functional example
Link to full documentation

Example (Good):

## Quick Start

```bash
pip install paymentflow

from paymentflow import Payment

payment = Payment(provider="stripe")
payment.charge(amount=1000, currency="usd", token="tok_visa")

See full documentation for advanced usage.

**Example (Bad):**
```markdown
See docs for usage.

2.2 Progressive Disclosure

Three-Tier Information Architecture:

Tier 1 - README Overview (Always Visible):

High-level project summary
Installation and quick start
Links to detailed documentation
Target: Understand project in 3 minutes
Size: Under 50 KB

Tier 2 - Dedicated Documentation Files:

CONTRIBUTING.md (contribution guidelines)
ARCHITECTURE.md (technical design)
API.md (complete API reference)
DEPLOYMENT.md (production setup)
Target: Deep dive into specific topics
Size: Unlimited

Tier 3 - External Documentation:

Documentation website (comprehensive guides)
Wiki (community knowledge)
Video tutorials
Target: Complete reference material
Size: Unlimited

Visual Diagram:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ README.md (Overview)                │ ← Tier 1: Always visible
│ ───────────────────────────         │
│ - What, Why, How                    │
│ - Quick Start (5 steps)             │
│ - Link: docs/GUIDE.md               │
│ - Link: CONTRIBUTING.md             │
└──────────┬──────────────────────────┘
           │ References (on-demand)
           ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONTRIBUTING.md                     │ ← Tier 2: Detailed docs
│ ARCHITECTURE.md                     │
│ docs/API.md                         │
│ docs/DEPLOYMENT.md                  │
└──────────┬──────────────────────────┘
           │ Deep references
           ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ https://project.dev/docs            │ ← Tier 3: External resources
│ GitHub Wiki                         │
│ Video tutorials                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Implementation Example:

❌ BEFORE (embedded - bloats README):

## API Endpoints

### GET /users
Returns paginated list of users.

**Parameters:**
- `page` (integer, optional, default: 1) - Page number
- `limit` (integer, optional, default: 20, max: 100) - Results per page
- `sort` (string, optional, default: "created_at") - Sort field
- `order` (string, optional, default: "desc") - Sort order (asc/desc)

**Response:**
```json
{
  "users": [
    {"id": 1, "name": "Alice", "email": "alice@example.com"},
    {"id": 2, "name": "Bob", "email": "bob@example.com"}
  ],
  "pagination": {
    "total": 100,
    "page": 1,
    "per_page": 20,
    "total_pages": 5
  }
}

Errors:

401 Unauthorized - Missing or invalid API key
403 Forbidden - Insufficient permissions
429 Too Many Requests - Rate limit exceeded

[... 50+ more lines for other endpoints]

**✅ AFTER (linked - keeps README lean):**
```markdown
## API Documentation

Complete REST API with user, project, and team management endpoints.

**Quick Reference:**
- [API Overview](docs/api/README.md) - Authentication, rate limits, pagination
- [User Endpoints](docs/api/users.md) - User CRUD operations
- [Project Endpoints](docs/api/projects.md) - Project management
- [OpenAPI Specification](api/openapi.yaml) - Machine-readable API spec

**Example request:**
```bash
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
     https://api.example.com/v1/users?limit=10

See complete API documentation for all endpoints.

**Token Savings:** 100+ lines → 15 lines = 85% reduction

### 2.3 Visual Hierarchy

**Heading Structure:**

According to [Markdown Guide](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/) and [Microsoft Azure DevOps documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/project/wiki/markdown-guidance):

```markdown
# H1 - Document Title (use only once)
## H2 - Major Sections
### H3 - Subsections
#### H4 - Detailed Subsections
##### H5 - Rarely used
###### H6 - Rarely used

Best Practices:

✅ Use only one H1 heading (project title)
✅ Don't skip levels (H2 → H3 → H4, not H2 → H4)
✅ Capitalize headings consistently (Title Case or Sentence case, pick one)
✅ Add blank line after each heading
✅ Use H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections

Example (Good Hierarchy):

# Project Name

## Installation

### Prerequisites
### Install via npm
### Install from source

## Usage

### Basic Example
### Advanced Configuration

Example (Bad Hierarchy):

# Project Name
##### Installation  ← Skips levels
## Usage
# Another H1 Title  ← Multiple H1s

3. Required Sections

3.1 Project Title (REQUIRED)

Purpose: Immediate project identification

Format: H1 heading (#)

Required Information:

Project name (self-explanatory, not generic)
Optional: Brief tagline or description (10 words or less)

Location: First line of README

Examples:

✅ Good:

# PaymentFlow

# CODITECT - AI-Powered Project Specification Platform

# React Query - Powerful data synchronization for React

❌ Bad:

# Project  ← Generic

# My Awesome Thing  ← Vague

# payment_processor_v2_final_ACTUAL  ← Unprofessional

Guidelines:

Make title searchable (users will search by this name)
Avoid acronyms unless widely known (use "GraphQL" not "GQL")
Don't use generic terms like "Project", "Repository", "Code"

3.2 Description / Overview (REQUIRED)

Purpose: Explain what the project does and why it exists

Max Length: 3-5 sentences (under 100 words)

Location: Immediately after title (before any other sections)

Required Elements:

What the project does (functionality)
What problem it solves (purpose)
Primary use case or target audience
Key benefit or differentiator (optional)

Format:

# Project Name

[Brief description answering: What does this do? Why does it exist? Who is it for?]

**Key Features:**
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

Examples:

✅ Grade A (Comprehensive):

# CODITECT

CODITECT is a comprehensive project management and development framework that transforms
ideas into production-ready products systematically. It provides all specialized AI agents,
all slash commands, and systematic workflows for business discovery, technical architecture,
and project management—enabling anyone to create complete project specifications without
prior technical expertise.

**Key Features:**
- ✅ Business analysis frameworks (Product-Market Fit, GTM Strategy, Competitive Analysis)
- ✅ C4 Model architecture with Mermaid diagram templates
- ✅ all specialized AI agents for discovery, planning, and development
- ✅ Zero catastrophic forgetting via MEMORY-CONTEXT system
- ✅ Complete 4-6 hour certification training program

✅ Grade B (Good):

# PaymentFlow

PaymentFlow is a Python library that unifies payment processing across Stripe, PayPal,
and Square with a single consistent API. Instead of learning multiple SDKs, you write
payment code once and switch providers with a configuration change.

❌ Grade F (Bad):

# Project

This repository contains code for the project. It does various things related to payments
and other stuff. Check the code to see what it does.

Guidelines:

Answer "What?" and "Why?" in first sentence
Use active voice ("CODITECT transforms ideas" not "Ideas are transformed")
Avoid jargon or unexplained acronyms
Be specific about what the project actually does
Don't assume reader knows the context

3.3 Installation (REQUIRED)

Purpose: Provide step-by-step instructions to install and set up the project

Max Length: 10-20 lines for basic installation (link to detailed guide if complex)

Location: After Description/Overview, before Usage

Required Elements:

Prerequisites (dependencies, system requirements)
Installation command(s)
Platform-specific instructions (if applicable)
Verification step (confirm installation worked)

Format:

## Installation

### Prerequisites

- [Prerequisite 1] (version)
- [Prerequisite 2]
- [Prerequisite 3]

### Install

```bash
# Installation command with explanation
command to install

Verify

# Command to verify installation
command to verify

Expected output: [What user should see]

**Examples:**

**✅ Grade A (Complete with multiple methods):**
```markdown
## Installation

### Prerequisites

- Python 3.8 or higher
- pip package manager
- (Optional) Virtual environment tool (venv, conda)

### Install via pip (Recommended)

```bash
pip install paymentflow

Install from source

git clone https://github.com/org/paymentflow.git
cd paymentflow
pip install -e .

Verify Installation

python -c "import paymentflow; print(paymentflow.__version__)"

Expected output: 1.2.3 (or current version number)

Troubleshooting: See Installation Guide for common issues.

**✅ Grade B (Good single method):**
```markdown
## Installation

**Requirements:** Node.js 18+ and npm

```bash
npm install payment-flow

Verify installation:

npx payment-flow --version

**❌ Grade F (Bad - incomplete):**
```markdown
## Installation

Just install it with npm or pip or whatever.

Guidelines:

List prerequisites explicitly with version requirements
Provide actual commands (not placeholders like <package-manager> install)
Include verification step so users know installation worked
Link to detailed installation guide for complex setups
Consider multiple installation methods (package manager, source, Docker)

3.4 Usage (REQUIRED)

Purpose: Show users how to use the project with smallest functional example

Max Length: 10-30 lines for basic usage (link to full documentation)

Location: After Installation

Required Elements:

Smallest possible working example (inline in README)
Expected output (show what happens when example runs)
Link to comprehensive documentation
(Optional) Multiple examples for different use cases

Format:

## Usage

### Basic Example

```language
# Smallest functional example
code here

Output:

Expected output here

Advanced Usage

See documentation for:

**Examples:**

**✅ Grade A (Complete with output and links):**
```markdown
## Usage

### Basic Payment Processing

```python
from paymentflow import Payment

# Initialize with provider
payment = Payment(provider="stripe", api_key="sk_test_...")

# Process payment
result = payment.charge(
    amount=1000,      # $10.00 (cents)
    currency="usd",
    token="tok_visa"  # From frontend
)

print(result)

Output:

{
  "success": true,
  "transaction_id": "ch_1234567890",
  "amount": 1000,
  "currency": "usd",
  "provider": "stripe"
}

Provider Failover

# Automatically fallback to PayPal if Stripe fails
payment = Payment(
    providers=["stripe", "paypal"],
    fallback=True
)

Advanced Usage

**✅ Grade B (Good basic example):**
```markdown
## Usage

```python
import paymentflow

payment = paymentflow.charge(
    provider="stripe",
    amount=1000,
    currency="usd"
)

See documentation for advanced usage.

**❌ Grade F (Bad - no actual example):**
```markdown
## Usage

Import the library and use the functions. See the code for details.

Guidelines:

Show actual code (not pseudocode or placeholders)
Use realistic example (not foo, bar, example)
Include expected output so users can verify it works
Keep example minimal (smallest thing that works)
Link to comprehensive docs for advanced features
Use syntax highlighting (specify language in code fence)

3.5 License (REQUIRED)

Purpose: Specify legal terms for project use

Max Length: 2-5 lines

Location: Near end of README (after main content)

Required Elements:

License name (MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL v3, etc.)
Link to full LICENSE file
Optional: License badge

Format:

## License

This project is licensed under the [License Name] - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.

Examples:

✅ Good (with badge):

## License

![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.

✅ Good (simple):

## License

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - see [LICENSE](LICENSE)

❌ Bad (missing):

[No license section]

Guidelines:

Always include a license section
Link to actual LICENSE file in repository
Use standard license names (SPDX identifiers)
Don't embed full license text in README (link to LICENSE file)
Add license badge from Shields.io for quick reference

4. Recommended Sections

4.1 Table of Contents (Recommended for >5 sections)

Purpose: Enable quick navigation to specific sections

When to Include: READMEs with 5+ major sections

Location: After Description, before Installation

Format (Manual TOC):

## Table of Contents

- [Installation](#installation)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Features](#features)
- [API Documentation](#api-documentation)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [License](#license)

Notes:

GitHub auto-generates TOC from headings (accessible via menu icon)
Manual TOC useful for repositories with many sections
Anchor format: #section-name (lowercase, spaces to hyphens, no special chars)
Example: ## Quick Start Guide → #quick-start-guide

Alternative (Quick Links):

**Quick Links:** [Installation](#installation) | [Usage](#usage) | [API Docs](#api-documentation) | [Contributing](#contributing)

4.2 Features (Recommended)

Purpose: Highlight key capabilities and differentiators

When to Include: Projects with 3+ notable features or unique selling points

Location: After Description, before Installation

Format:

## Features

- ✅ Feature 1 with brief explanation
- ✅ Feature 2 with brief explanation
- ✅ Feature 3 with brief explanation
- 🚀 Unique differentiator
- 🎯 Key benefit

Examples:

✅ Good (specific and scannable):

## Features

- ✅ **Unified API** - One interface for Stripe, PayPal, Square, and Braintree
- ✅ **Provider Failover** - Automatically switch providers if primary fails
- ✅ **Built-in Retry Logic** - Handles transient failures with exponential backoff
- ✅ **Type Safe** - Full TypeScript support with complete type definitions
- 🚀 **50% Less Code** - Reduce boilerplate compared to using SDKs directly
- 🔒 **PCI Compliant** - Never touch card data directly (token-based)

❌ Bad (vague and generic):

## Features

- Works well
- Fast performance
- Easy to use
- Good documentation

Guidelines:

Use bullet points (scannable)
Be specific (not "fast" but "50% faster than X")
Highlight unique differentiators (what competitors don't have)
Use emojis sparingly (1-2 for emphasis, not decoration)
Keep each point to one line

4.3 Quick Start / Getting Started (Highly Recommended)

Purpose: Get users from zero to functioning project in under 10 minutes

When to Include: All projects (critical for adoption)

Location: After Features, before detailed Usage

Required Elements:

Prerequisites checklist
Numbered installation steps (unambiguous commands)
Minimal configuration (environment variables, config files)
First run command
Verification (how to confirm it worked)

Goal: Functioning project in under 10 minutes

Format:

## Quick Start

### Prerequisites

- [ ] Prerequisite 1
- [ ] Prerequisite 2
- [ ] Prerequisite 3

### 1. Install

```bash
# Step 1 with explanation
command

2. Configure

# Step 2 with explanation
command

3. Run

# Step 3 with explanation
command

4. Verify

Open http://localhost:3000 - you should see [expected output]

Next Steps: See User Guide for advanced configuration.

**Examples:**

**✅ Grade A (Complete quick start):**
```markdown
## Quick Start

Get PaymentFlow running in 5 minutes:

### Prerequisites

- [ ] Python 3.8 or higher installed
- [ ] Stripe account (or PayPal/Square account)
- [ ] API key from your payment provider

### 1. Install PaymentFlow

```bash
pip install paymentflow

2. Set Up Environment

# Create .env file with your API key
echo "STRIPE_API_KEY=sk_test_your_key_here" > .env

3. Run Example

# Download example script
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/org/paymentflow/main/examples/basic.py

# Run it
python basic.py

4. Verify

You should see output like:

{"success": true, "transaction_id": "ch_1234567890"}

Next Steps:

Configure webhooks for payment notifications
Set up subscriptions for recurring billing
Production deployment guide

**✅ Grade B (Good):**
```markdown
## Quick Start

```bash
# Install
pip install paymentflow

# Run example
python -c "from paymentflow import Payment; print(Payment().test())"

See Getting Started Guide for detailed setup.

**❌ Grade F (Bad - no quick start):**
```markdown
## Getting Started

Read the documentation to learn how to use this.

Guidelines:

Number steps sequentially (1, 2, 3...)
Show actual commands (not <insert command here>)
Include expected output for verification
Keep to 5 steps or fewer
Provide "Next Steps" links for deeper learning
Test on fresh environment to ensure instructions work

4.4 Contributing (Recommended)

Purpose: State openness to contributions and link to guidelines

When to Include: Open source projects accepting contributions

Location: Near end (before License)

Format:

## Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for:

- Code of conduct
- Development setup
- Pull request process
- Coding standards
- Testing requirements

**Quick Start for Contributors:**
1. Fork the repository
2. Create feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)
3. Commit changes (`git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'`)
4. Push to branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)
5. Open Pull Request

Examples:

✅ Good (clear process):

## Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

1. **Read Guidelines:** See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed process
2. **Find Issues:** Check [good first issue](https://github.com/org/repo/labels/good%20first%20issue) label
3. **Discuss First:** For major changes, open an issue to discuss before coding
4. **Submit PR:** Follow our [pull request template](.github/pull_request_template.md)

**Development Setup:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/org/repo.git
cd repo
npm install
npm test

Questions? Join our Discord community

**❌ Bad (no information):**
```markdown
## Contributing

PRs welcome.

Guidelines:

Link to detailed CONTRIBUTING.md file
Provide quick summary in README
Mention code of conduct if you have one
Link to issue tracker and discussion channels
Make it easy for first-time contributors

4.5 Support / Contact (Recommended)

Purpose: Provide channels for users to get help

When to Include: Active projects with community support

Location: After Contributing, before License

Format:

## Support

- 📖 [Documentation](https://example.com/docs)
- 💬 [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/example)
- 🐛 [Issue Tracker](https://github.com/org/repo/issues)
- 📧 [Email](mailto:support@example.com) - Security issues only
- 🐦 [Twitter](https://twitter.com/example) - Updates and announcements

Examples:

✅ Good (multiple channels):

## Support

**Need Help?**

- 📖 **Documentation:** [docs.paymentflow.dev](https://docs.paymentflow.dev)
- 💬 **Community Forum:** [forum.paymentflow.dev](https://forum.paymentflow.dev)
- 🐛 **Bug Reports:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/org/paymentflow/issues)
- 📧 **Security Issues:** [security@paymentflow.dev](mailto:security@paymentflow.dev)

**Commercial Support:**

Enterprise support plans available at [paymentflow.dev/support](https://paymentflow.dev/support)

Guidelines:

Provide multiple support channels (docs, community, issues)
Separate security contact from general support
Use icons/emojis to make scannable
Link directly to resources (not just "see website")

5. Optional Sections

5.1 Badges (Optional - Use Sparingly)

Purpose: Provide at-a-glance project status indicators

Recommended Quantity: 2-4 key badges (avoid badge overload)

Location: Immediately after title, before description

Best Practices from Daily.dev:

✅ Choose badges directly related to project status and utility
✅ Use trusted sources (Shields.io, GitHub Actions)
✅ Ensure badges auto-update (avoid static screenshots)
✅ Visual consistency (source all from Shields.io)
❌ Avoid vanity metrics without purpose
❌ Don't use outdated or unmaintained badge services
❌ Limit to 2-4 badges (excessive decoration reduces credibility)

Essential Badges:

![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/user/repo/ci.yml)
![Version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/package-name)
![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/user/repo)
![Downloads](https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/package-name)

Useful Badges:

Build/CI status (GitHub Actions, Travis CI)
Current version (npm, PyPI, Maven)
License type
Code coverage percentage
Download/usage statistics
Documentation status
Dependency status

Example (Good - 4 badges):

# PaymentFlow

![Build](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/org/paymentflow/ci.yml?branch=main)
![PyPI](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/paymentflow)
![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/org/paymentflow)
![Downloads](https://img.shields.io/pypi/dm/paymentflow)

Payment processing library with unified API...

Example (Bad - 15 badges):

# Project

![Badge1] ![Badge2] ![Badge3] ![Badge4] ![Badge5]
![Badge6] ![Badge7] ![Badge8] ![Badge9] ![Badge10]
![Badge11] ![Badge12] ![Badge13] ![Badge14] ![Badge15]

[Description buried below badge wall]

Shields.io Key Features:

Serves 1.6+ billion images monthly
Used by VS Code, Vue.js, Bootstrap
Dynamic badges that auto-update
Customizable colors, logos, labels
Comprehensive badge catalog

5.2 Screenshots / Demos (Optional)

Purpose: Visual demonstration of project functionality

When to Include: Projects with visual output (UIs, CLIs, diagrams)

Location: After description or in separate "Demo" section

Format:

## Demo

![Screenshot Description](pathname://path/to/screenshot.png)

**Live Demo:** [demo.example.com](https://demo.example.com)

Best Practices:

Use GIFs/videos for interactive demos
Keep file sizes reasonable (<1 MB per image)
Provide alt text for accessibility
Show actual product (not stock photos or mockups)
Caption each screenshot

Example:

## Screenshots

![Dashboard Overview](pathname://docs/images/dashboard.png)
*Main dashboard with real-time payment analytics*

![Transaction Details](pathname://docs/images/transaction-detail.png)
*Detailed view of individual transaction*

**Live Demo:** [demo.paymentflow.dev](https://demo.paymentflow.dev)

5.3 Roadmap (Optional)

Purpose: Communicate planned features and project direction

When to Include: Active projects with clear future plans

Format:

## Roadmap

### Version 2.0 (Q1 2026)
- [ ] Feature A
- [ ] Feature B
- [ ] Feature C

### Version 2.5 (Q2 2026)
- [ ] Feature D
- [ ] Feature E

See [complete roadmap](ROADMAP.md) for details.

5.4 FAQ (Optional)

Purpose: Answer common questions proactively

When to Include: Projects with recurring questions

Format:

## FAQ

**Q: How is this different from X?**
A: [Clear answer]

**Q: Does this work with Y?**
A: [Clear answer]

See [complete FAQ](docs/FAQ.md) for more questions.

5.5 Acknowledgments / Credits (Optional)

Purpose: Recognize contributors and inspiration

Format:

## Acknowledgments

- [Person/Project] - Inspiration for feature X
- [Library Name] - Powers functionality Y
- [Community] - Valuable feedback and contributions

6. Standards Repository Specific Guidelines

Standards repositories require specialized README patterns beyond typical project READMEs.

6.1 Standards Overview Section

Purpose: Clearly state the purpose, scope, and target audience of standards

Format:

## Standards Overview

This directory contains [organization/project] technical standards covering:

- **Scope:** [What standards cover]
- **Audience:** [Who should follow these standards]
- **Status:** [Draft / Approved / Active]
- **Last Updated:** YYYY-MM-DD

**What's Covered:**
- Standard category 1 (e.g., Naming Conventions)
- Standard category 2 (e.g., Code Quality)
- Standard category 3 (e.g., Documentation)

**What's NOT Covered:**
- Exclusion 1
- Exclusion 2

Example:

## Standards Overview

This directory contains CODITECT framework technical standards governing all components,
documentation, and workflows.

- **Scope:** All CODITECT repositories, submodules, and user-created projects
- **Audience:** CODITECT Operators, contributors, and AI agents
- **Status:** Production Standard (v1.0)
- **Last Updated:** 2025-12-03

**Covered Areas:**
- File naming and organization (CLAUDE.md, README.md, TASKLIST.md)
- Agent file structure and metadata requirements
- Documentation quality standards (40/40 grading)
- Git workflow and commit conventions

**Not Covered:**
- Programming language specific style guides (see language-specific standards)
- Third-party tool configuration (covered in tool documentation)

6.2 Standards Index Table

Purpose: Provide quick navigation to all standards with status indicators

Format:

## Standards Index

| Standard | Description | Status | Version | Last Updated |
|----------|-------------|--------|---------|--------------|
| [STANDARD-NAME-001](path/to/standard.md) | Brief description | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-12-03 |
| [STANDARD-NAME-002](path/to/standard.md) | Brief description | ![Draft](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-draft-yellow) | 0.9.0 | 2025-11-15 |
| [STANDARD-NAME-003](path/to/standard.md) | Brief description | ![Deprecated](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-deprecated-red) | 1.2.0 | 2024-06-20 |

Status Badges:

![Status: Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green)
![Status: Draft](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-draft-yellow)
![Status: Review](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-review-blue)
![Status: Deprecated](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-deprecated-red)

Example:

## Standards Index

| Standard | Description | Status | Version | Last Updated |
|----------|-------------|--------|---------|--------------|
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD](CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD.md) | CLAUDE.md file structure and token budget | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-12-03 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD](CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD.md) | README.md best practices and templates | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-12-03 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS](CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS.md) | Agent file metadata and structure | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-11-15 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-TASKLIST](CODITECT-STANDARD-TASKLIST.md) | TASKLIST.md checkbox format | ![Draft](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-draft-yellow) | 0.9.0 | 2025-11-20 |

6.3 Category Organization

Purpose: Group related standards for easier navigation

Format:

## Standards by Category

### Naming Conventions
- [File Naming](naming/file-naming.md)
- [Component Naming](naming/component-naming.md)
- [Variable Naming](naming/variable-naming.md)

### Documentation Standards
- [README.md Standard](documentation/README-standard.md)
- [CLAUDE.md Standard](documentation/CLAUDE-standard.md)
- [API Documentation](documentation/API-documentation.md)

### Code Quality
- [Code Review Checklist](quality/code-review.md)
- [Testing Requirements](quality/testing.md)
- [Performance Standards](quality/performance.md)

6.4 Directory Structure Visualization

Purpose: Show organization of standards repository

Format:

## Directory Structure

CODITECT-CORE-STANDARDS/ ├── README.md # This file - Standards overview ├── naming-conventions/ # File and component naming │ ├── README.md │ ├── file-naming.md │ └── component-naming.md ├── documentation/ # Documentation formatting │ ├── README.md │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD.md │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD.md │ └── CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS.md ├── code-quality/ # Code quality and review │ ├── README.md │ ├── testing-requirements.md │ └── code-review-checklist.md └── templates/ # Template files ├── README-template.md ├── CLAUDE-template.md └── AGENT-template.md

6.5 Getting Started for Standards Users

Purpose: Explain how to use and apply standards

Format:

## Getting Started

### For Developers

1. **Browse Standards:** Review [Standards Index](#standards-index)
2. **Check Compliance:** Run `npm run lint:standards` (if tooling exists)
3. **Apply Standards:** Follow guidelines in relevant standard documents
4. **Validate:** Use provided checklists and templates

### For Reviewers

1. **Review Checklist:** Use standard-specific validation checklists
2. **Automated Checks:** Leverage CI/CD integration for automatic validation
3. **Manual Review:** Verify compliance with quality grading criteria
4. **Provide Feedback:** Reference specific standard sections in review comments

### Integration with CI/CD

Standards enforcement is automated via:
- Pre-commit hooks (file naming, formatting)
- GitHub Actions workflows (documentation validation)
- Pull request checks (compliance scoring)

See [CI/CD Integration Guide](docs/ci-cd-integration.md) for setup.

6.6 Contributing to Standards

Purpose: Define process for proposing new standards or changes

Format:

## Contributing to Standards

### Propose New Standard

1. **Check Existing:** Review [Standards Index](#standards-index) for duplicates
2. **Create Issue:** Use "New Standard Proposal" template
3. **Draft Standard:** Follow [Standard Template](templates/standard-template.md)
4. **Submit PR:** Request review from standards team
5. **Approval Process:** Requires 2+ approvals from maintainers

### Modify Existing Standard

1. **Create Issue:** Explain rationale for change
2. **Version Bump:** Increment version according to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
3. **Update Documentation:** Modify affected standard document
4. **Migration Guide:** Provide upgrade path for major changes
5. **Submit PR:** Link to issue in PR description

### Standards Review Cycle

- **Draft** → **Review** → **Approved** → **Active**
- Standards reviewed quarterly
- Deprecated standards archived after 1 year

6.7 Enforcement and Compliance

Purpose: Explain how standards are enforced and compliance tracked

Format:

## Enforcement

### Compliance Requirements

All CODITECT repositories must achieve:
- **Grade B (80%) or higher** within 30 days of standard publication
- **Grade A (90%+)** for production releases
- **100% compliance** for critical standards (marked with ⚠️)

### Automated Validation

Standards are enforced via:
- **Pre-commit hooks:** File naming, formatting
- **GitHub Actions:** Documentation quality, metadata validation
- **Pull request checks:** Compliance scoring, checklist verification

### Manual Review

Standards team reviews:
- New component submissions
- Standard modification proposals
- Compliance exceptions

### Compliance Dashboard

Track compliance status: [dashboard.coditect.dev/standards](https://dashboard.coditect.dev/standards)

7. Visual Hierarchy and Formatting

7.1 Markdown Formatting Best Practices

Headings:

Use only one H1 (#) for title
H2 (##) for major sections
H3 (###) for subsections
Don't skip levels (H2 → H4 is invalid)
Add blank line after headings

Lists:

**Unordered Lists:**
- Item 1
- Item 2
  - Nested item
  - Nested item

**Ordered Lists:**
1. First step
2. Second step
   1. Substep A
   2. Substep B

Code Blocks:

**Inline code:** Use `backticks` for inline code

**Code blocks with syntax highlighting:**
```language
code here

**Tables:**

```markdown
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|----------|----------|----------|
| Data 1   | Data 2   | Data 3   |
| Data 4   | Data 5   | Data 6   |

Links:

**Internal link:** [Section Name](#section-name)
**External link:** [GitHub](https://github.com)
**Reference link:** [Link text][ref]

[ref]: https://example.com

Emphasis:

**Bold** for important terms
*Italic* for references or emphasis
***Bold and italic*** for critical warnings

7.2 Visual Elements

Emojis (Use Sparingly):

✅ Checkmarks for features/benefits
❌ X marks for anti-patterns/warnings
🚀 Rocket for performance/speed
🔒 Lock for security
📖 Book for documentation
💡 Lightbulb for tips

Horizontal Rules:

---

Use to separate major sections

Blockquotes:

> **Note:** Important information or callout
> Multiline blockquotes can provide context

Collapsible Sections (Advanced):

<details>
<summary>Click to expand</summary>

Hidden content here...
</details>

7.3 Accessibility Considerations

Image Alt Text:

![Descriptive alt text for screen readers](pathname://path/to/image.png)

Descriptive Link Text:

✅ Good: [Read the installation guide](docs/installation.md)
❌ Bad: [Click here](docs/installation.md) or [Link](docs/installation.md)

Heading Hierarchy:

Don't skip levels (aids screen readers)
Use descriptive headings (not "Overview" for everything)

Table Headers:

Always include header row
Use | alignment for readability

8. Content Guidelines

8.1 Writing Style

Tone:

Professional but approachable
Clear and direct (avoid verbosity)
Active voice ("CODITECT transforms ideas" not "Ideas are transformed")
Second person for instructions ("You can install" not "One can install")

Language:

Use simple, plain English
Define acronyms on first use
Avoid jargon or explain technical terms
International audience (avoid idioms or cultural references)

Clarity:

One main idea per paragraph
Short sentences (under 25 words when possible)
Specific examples over abstract explanations
Show, don't just tell (code examples over descriptions)

Examples:

✅ Good (clear and direct):

Install PaymentFlow via pip:

```bash
pip install paymentflow

This command downloads and installs the latest stable version.

**❌ Bad (vague and verbose):**
```markdown
The installation process can be accomplished through the utilization of the
pip package manager which is the standard Python package installation tool
and should be available on most systems that have Python installed, though
your mileage may vary depending on your specific configuration.

8.2 Link Strategy

Internal Links (Relative Paths):

✅ Good: [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md)
✅ Good: [API Docs](docs/api/README.md)
❌ Bad: [Contributing](https://github.com/org/repo/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)

Why: Relative links work when repository is cloned or forked

External Links (Full URLs):

✅ Good: [GitHub Docs](https://docs.github.com)

Link Placement:

Inline links for immediate context
Reference links for repeated URLs
"Learn more" pattern for progressive disclosure

Example:

See [complete API documentation](docs/api/README.md) for all endpoints,
authentication, and rate limits. For production deployment, refer to our
[deployment guide](docs/deployment.md).

Learn more about:
- [Webhooks](docs/webhooks.md)
- [Subscriptions](docs/subscriptions.md)
- [Error Handling](docs/errors.md)

8.3 Maintenance

Keep README Updated:

✅ Review after each major release
✅ Update installation instructions for new dependencies
✅ Refresh examples to match current API
✅ Verify links are not broken
✅ Update status badges (version, build status)

Avoid:

❌ Outdated version numbers
❌ Broken links to moved/deleted files
❌ Deprecated API examples
❌ Incorrect screenshots
❌ "Coming soon" features that never shipped

Change Log Integration:

## Recent Updates

**v2.0.0 (2025-12-01):** Major release with breaking changes - see [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md#v200)

**v1.5.0 (2025-11-15):** Added webhook support - see [Webhooks Guide](docs/webhooks.md)

See [complete changelog](CHANGELOG.md) for all releases.

9. Quality Grading Criteria

Grade A (90-100%) - Exemplary

Required:

✅ All required sections present and complete
✅ All recommended sections present
✅ Quick start gets user functioning in <10 minutes
✅ Progressive disclosure implemented (3-tier architecture)
✅ Visual hierarchy clear (proper heading levels)
✅ Code examples include expected output
✅ Links verified (no broken links)
✅ Badges (2-4) relevant and auto-updating
✅ Screenshots/GIFs for visual projects
✅ Comprehensive yet concise (under 50 KB)
✅ Professional writing (no typos, clear grammar)
✅ Accessibility considered (alt text, descriptive links)

Example: CODITECT main README.md, Anthropic Claude Code README

Grade B (80-89%) - Good

Required:

✅ All required sections present
✅ Most recommended sections present
✅ Quick start functional (may take 10-15 minutes)
✅ Clear visual hierarchy
✅ Code examples provided (output optional)
✅ Links mostly verified
✅ 1-2 relevant badges
✅ Under 75 KB
✅ Professional writing

Missing:

⚠️ May lack some optional sections (FAQ, Roadmap)
⚠️ Progressive disclosure partially implemented
⚠️ Screenshots missing for visual projects

Grade C (70-79%) - Acceptable

Required:

✅ Required sections present (may be incomplete)
✅ Installation instructions functional
✅ Basic usage example

Issues:

⚠️ Missing recommended sections
⚠️ Quick start unclear or >20 minutes
⚠️ Weak visual hierarchy
⚠️ Code examples without context
⚠️ Some broken links
⚠️ Excessive length (>100 KB)
⚠️ Writing quality issues (typos, unclear)

Grade D (60-69%) - Below Standard

Present:

Title and description
Some installation steps
Minimal usage example

Significant Issues:

❌ Missing multiple required sections
❌ Installation instructions incomplete/unclear
❌ No quick start
❌ Poor visual hierarchy
❌ Broken links
❌ Excessive length or extremely brief
❌ Unprofessional writing

Grade F (0-59%) - Unacceptable

Critical Issues:

❌ Missing required sections (Installation, Usage, or License)
❌ Generic or misleading description
❌ No working examples
❌ Completely broken links
❌ Unintelligible writing
❌ Placeholder text ("TODO", "Coming soon") in critical sections

Examples:

"See code for details" (no actual documentation)
"Under construction" (incomplete README shipped)
Generic "Project" title with no description

10. Validation Checklist

Pre-Publication Checklist

File Format:

File named exactly README.md (case-sensitive)
UTF-8 encoding without BOM
LF (Unix) line endings
Under 500 KiB (GitHub limit)
Recommended: Under 50 KB for readability

Required Sections:

Title (H1, descriptive, not generic)
Description (3-5 sentences answering What/Why/How)
Installation (prerequisites, commands, verification)
Usage (smallest working example with output)
License (name, link to LICENSE file)

Recommended Sections:

Table of Contents (if 5+ major sections)
Features (3+ key capabilities)
Quick Start (functioning in <10 minutes)
Contributing (link to CONTRIBUTING.md)
Support (docs, community, issues)

Content Quality:

All links verified (no 404s)
Code examples tested and functional
Expected output shown for examples
Screenshots current (if applicable)
Badges auto-updating (if used)
No placeholder text ("TODO", "Coming soon")
No typos or grammatical errors
Consistent terminology throughout

Visual Hierarchy:

Only one H1 (title)
Heading levels don't skip (H2 → H3, not H2 → H4)
Blank lines after headings
Code blocks use syntax highlighting
Tables formatted properly
Lists use consistent bullet style

Progressive Disclosure:

README is overview (not complete documentation)
Detailed docs in separate files (docs/GUIDE.md, etc.)
Links to comprehensive resources
Three-tier architecture (README → docs → external)

Accessibility:

Images have descriptive alt text
Links use descriptive text (not "click here")
Heading hierarchy aids screen readers
Tables have header rows

Standards-Specific (if applicable):

Standards index table present
Status badges for each standard
Directory structure visualization
Category organization
Getting started for standards users
Contributing to standards section
Enforcement and compliance section

Final Checks:

Preview rendered on GitHub
Test quick start on fresh environment
Verify auto-generated TOC appears correctly
Check mobile rendering (GitHub web)
Get peer review before publishing

11. Examples

11.1 Grade A Example - Standard Project

# PaymentFlow

![Build](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/org/paymentflow/ci.yml?branch=main)
![PyPI](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/paymentflow)
![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)
![Downloads](https://img.shields.io/pypi/dm/paymentflow)

PaymentFlow is a Python library that unifies payment processing across multiple providers
(Stripe, PayPal, Square, Braintree) with a single consistent API. Instead of learning each
provider's SDK, write payment code once and switch providers with a configuration change.

**Why PaymentFlow?**
- ✅ **Unified API** - One interface for 4+ payment providers
- ✅ **Provider Failover** - Automatic fallback if primary provider fails
- ✅ **Built-in Retry Logic** - Handles transient failures with exponential backoff
- ✅ **Type Safe** - Full TypeScript support with complete type definitions
- 🚀 **50% Less Code** - Reduce boilerplate compared to using provider SDKs directly
- 🔒 **PCI Compliant** - Never touch card data (token-based)

---

## Quick Start

Get PaymentFlow running in 5 minutes:

### Prerequisites

- [ ] Python 3.8 or higher
- [ ] pip package manager
- [ ] Payment provider account (Stripe, PayPal, or Square)

### 1. Install PaymentFlow

```bash
pip install paymentflow

2. Set Up Environment

# Create .env file with your API key
echo "STRIPE_API_KEY=sk_test_your_key_here" > .env

3. Run Example

from paymentflow import Payment

# Initialize with provider
payment = Payment(provider="stripe")

# Process payment
result = payment.charge(
    amount=1000,      # $10.00 (cents)
    currency="usd",
    token="tok_visa"  # From frontend
)

print(result)

Output:

{
  "success": true,
  "transaction_id": "ch_1234567890",
  "amount": 1000,
  "currency": "usd",
  "provider": "stripe"
}

Next Steps:

Configure webhooks for payment notifications
Set up subscriptions for recurring billing
Production deployment guide

Features

Multi-Provider Support
- Stripe, PayPal, Square, Braintree
- Consistent API across all providers
- Provider-specific features accessible
Reliability
- Automatic provider failover
- Exponential backoff retry logic
- Idempotency keys prevent duplicate charges
Developer Experience
- Type hints and autocomplete
- Comprehensive error messages
- Detailed logging and debugging
Security
- Token-based (never handle card data)
- PCI DSS compliant patterns
- Webhook signature verification

Installation

Via pip (Recommended)

pip install paymentflow

From Source

git clone https://github.com/org/paymentflow.git
cd paymentflow
pip install -e .

Verify Installation

python -c "import paymentflow; print(paymentflow.__version__)"

Troubleshooting: See Installation Guide for common issues.

Usage

Basic Payment Processing

from paymentflow import Payment

payment = Payment(provider="stripe", api_key="sk_test_...")
result = payment.charge(amount=1000, currency="usd", token="tok_visa")

Provider Failover

# Automatically fallback to PayPal if Stripe fails
payment = Payment(
    providers=["stripe", "paypal"],
    fallback=True
)

Subscription Management

from paymentflow import Subscription

subscription = Subscription(provider="stripe")
result = subscription.create(
    customer="cus_123",
    plan="plan_abc",
    trial_days=14
)

Advanced Usage

Documentation

📖 User Guide - Complete usage guide
🔧 API Reference - Detailed API documentation
🚀 Deployment Guide - Production deployment
🔒 Security - Security best practices
📋 FAQ - Frequently asked questions

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please read CONTRIBUTING.md for:

Code of conduct
Development setup
Pull request process
Testing requirements

Quick Start for Contributors:

git clone https://github.com/org/paymentflow.git
cd paymentflow
pip install -e ".[dev]"
pytest

Good First Issues: github.com/org/paymentflow/labels/good-first-issue

Support

Commercial Support: Enterprise support plans at paymentflow.dev/support

License

Licensed under the MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

Inspired by Stripe and Plaid API design
Built with Requests and Pydantic
Community feedback from r/python

**Why This is Grade A:**
- ✅ Answers What/Why/How in first 200 words
- ✅ Quick start gets user functioning in 5 minutes
- ✅ All required sections present and complete
- ✅ All recommended sections present
- ✅ Progressive disclosure (links to detailed docs)
- ✅ Code examples with expected output
- ✅ 4 relevant badges (build, version, license, downloads)
- ✅ Clear visual hierarchy
- ✅ Professional writing
- ✅ Under 50 KB
- ✅ Links to comprehensive documentation

### 11.2 Grade A Example - Standards Repository

```markdown
# CODITECT Framework Standards

![Status: Production](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-production-green)
![Version: 1.0.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-1.0.0-blue)
![Last Updated: 2025-12-03](https://img.shields.io/badge/updated-2025--12--03-lightgrey)

Comprehensive technical standards for CODITECT framework components, documentation,
and workflows. These standards ensure consistency, quality, and maintainability across
all CODITECT repositories, submodules, and user-created projects.

**Quick Links:** [Standards Index](#standards-index) | [Getting Started](#getting-started) | [Contributing](#contributing-to-standards) | [Compliance](#enforcement-and-compliance)

---

## Standards Overview

This directory contains CODITECT framework technical standards governing:

- **Scope:** All CODITECT repositories, submodules, and user-created projects
- **Audience:** CODITECT Operators, contributors, and AI agents
- **Status:** Production Standard (v1.0)
- **Last Updated:** 2025-12-03

**Covered Areas:**
- ✅ File naming and organization (CLAUDE.md, README.md, TASKLIST.md)
- ✅ Agent file structure and metadata requirements
- ✅ Documentation quality standards (40/40 grading)
- ✅ Git workflow and commit conventions
- ✅ Code quality and review processes

**Not Covered:**
- Programming language-specific style guides (see language standards)
- Third-party tool configuration (covered in tool documentation)

---

## Standards Index

| Standard | Description | Status | Version | Last Updated |
|----------|-------------|--------|---------|--------------|
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD](CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD.md) | CLAUDE.md file structure and token budget | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-12-03 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD](CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD.md) | README.md best practices and templates | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-12-03 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS](CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS.md) | Agent file metadata and structure | ![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green) | 1.0.0 | 2025-11-15 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-TASKLIST](CODITECT-STANDARD-TASKLIST.md) | TASKLIST.md checkbox format | ![Draft](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-draft-yellow) | 0.9.0 | 2025-11-20 |
| [CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMITS](CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMITS.md) | Git commit message conventions | ![Review](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-review-blue) | 0.8.0 | 2025-11-10 |

---

## Standards by Category

### Documentation Standards
- [CLAUDE.md Standard](CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD.md) - AI context files
- [README.md Standard](CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD.md) - Repository documentation
- [API Documentation](CODITECT-STANDARD-API-DOCS.md) - API reference formatting

### Component Standards
- [Agent File Standard](CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS.md) - Agent metadata and structure
- [Skill File Standard](CODITECT-STANDARD-SKILLS.md) - Skill definitions
- [Command Standard](CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMANDS.md) - Slash command specifications

### Quality Standards
- [Code Review Checklist](CODITECT-STANDARD-CODE-REVIEW.md)
- [Testing Requirements](CODITECT-STANDARD-TESTING.md)
- [40/40 Quality Grading](CODITECT-STANDARD-QUALITY-40-40.md)

### Workflow Standards
- [Git Commit Conventions](CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMITS.md)
- [Branch Naming](CODITECT-STANDARD-BRANCHES.md)
- [Release Process](CODITECT-STANDARD-RELEASES.md)

---

## Directory Structure

CODITECT-CORE-STANDARDS/ ├── README.md # This file - Standards overview │ ├── Documentation Standards │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-CLAUDE-MD.md # CLAUDE.md file standard │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-README-MD.md # README.md file standard │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-API-DOCS.md # API documentation standard │ └── CODITECT-STANDARD-GUIDES.md # User guide standard │ ├── Component Standards │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-AGENTS.md # Agent file standard │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-SKILLS.md # Skill file standard │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMANDS.md # Command standard │ └── CODITECT-STANDARD-SCRIPTS.md # Script standard │ ├── Quality Standards │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-CODE-REVIEW.md # Code review checklist │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-TESTING.md # Testing requirements │ └── CODITECT-STANDARD-QUALITY-40-40.md # 40/40 quality grading │ ├── Workflow Standards │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-COMMITS.md # Commit message conventions │ ├── CODITECT-STANDARD-BRANCHES.md # Branch naming standard │ └── CODITECT-STANDARD-RELEASES.md # Release process │ └── Templates ├── README-template.md # README template ├── CLAUDE-template.md # CLAUDE.md template ├── AGENT-template.md # Agent file template └── STANDARD-template.md # Standard document template

---

## Getting Started

### For Developers

1. **Browse Standards:** Review [Standards Index](#standards-index) by category
2. **Check Compliance:** Run automated checks (see [Enforcement](#enforcement-and-compliance))
3. **Apply Standards:** Follow guidelines in relevant standard documents
4. **Validate:** Use provided checklists and templates
5. **Get Help:** See [Support](#support) for assistance

### For Reviewers

1. **Review Checklist:** Use standard-specific validation checklists
2. **Automated Checks:** Leverage CI/CD integration for automatic validation
3. **Manual Review:** Verify compliance with quality grading criteria
4. **Provide Feedback:** Reference specific standard sections in review comments
5. **Track Compliance:** Monitor compliance dashboard

### Integration with CI/CD

Standards enforcement is automated via:
- **Pre-commit hooks:** File naming, formatting, basic validation
- **GitHub Actions:** Documentation quality, metadata validation, compliance scoring
- **Pull Request checks:** Automated compliance verification with detailed reports

**Setup:** See [CI/CD Integration Guide](docs/ci-cd-integration.md)

---

## Contributing to Standards

### Propose New Standard

1. **Check Existing:** Review [Standards Index](#standards-index) for duplicates
2. **Create Issue:** Use "New Standard Proposal" issue template
3. **Draft Standard:** Follow [Standard Template](templates/STANDARD-template.md)
4. **Community Feedback:** Discuss in issue comments (minimum 1 week)
5. **Submit PR:** Include rationale, examples, and validation checklist
6. **Review Process:** Requires 2+ approvals from standards maintainers

### Modify Existing Standard

1. **Create Issue:** Explain rationale for change with use cases
2. **Version Bump:** Follow [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
   - **Major:** Breaking changes requiring migration
   - **Minor:** New guidelines (backward compatible)
   - **Patch:** Clarifications, typo fixes
3. **Update Documentation:** Modify affected standard document
4. **Migration Guide:** Provide upgrade path for major changes (with timeline)
5. **Submit PR:** Link to issue in PR description

### Standards Review Cycle

**Lifecycle:** Draft → Review → Approved → Active → (Optional) Deprecated → Archived

**Review Schedule:**
- **Quarterly:** Standards reviewed for relevance and accuracy
- **Annual:** Major version updates and consolidation
- **Deprecated:** Standards marked deprecated after successor approved
- **Archived:** Deprecated standards archived after 1 year

**Status Definitions:**
- **Draft:** Under development, not enforced
- **Review:** Open for community feedback (1-2 weeks)
- **Approved:** Finalized, enforcement begins
- **Active:** Currently enforced (most standards)
- **Deprecated:** Superseded by newer standard (still documented)
- **Archived:** Historical reference only (no longer enforced)

---

## Enforcement and Compliance

### Compliance Requirements

All CODITECT repositories must achieve:
- **Grade B (80%) or higher** within 30 days of standard publication
- **Grade A (90%+)** for production releases
- **100% compliance** for critical standards (marked with ⚠️ in standard docs)

**Grace Period:** 30 days from standard publication for existing repositories

### Automated Validation

Standards are enforced via:

**Pre-commit Hooks:**
- File naming validation
- Markdown formatting (line endings, encoding)
- YAML/JSON syntax validation
- Basic metadata verification

**GitHub Actions (CI/CD):**
- Documentation quality scoring
- Agent metadata validation
- Cross-reference link checking
- Compliance percentage calculation

**Pull Request Checks:**
- Compliance scoring (blocks merge below 80%)
- Checklist verification
- Version number validation
- Migration guide requirement (major changes)

**Setup:** Add `.github/workflows/standards-validation.yml` to repository

### Manual Review

Standards team reviews:
- New component submissions (agents, skills, commands)
- Standard modification proposals
- Compliance exception requests (with justification)
- Annual standard review process

**Request Manual Review:** Open issue with "standards-review" label

### Compliance Dashboard

Track compliance status across all CODITECT repositories:

**Dashboard:** [dashboard.coditect.dev/standards](https://dashboard.coditect.dev/standards)

**Metrics:**
- Overall compliance percentage
- Standard-specific compliance breakdown
- Repositories below threshold (80%)
- Trending compliance over time

**Reports:**
- Weekly compliance summary (emailed to maintainers)
- Monthly compliance report (published to wiki)

---

## Support

**Need Help?**

- 📖 **Documentation:** [docs.coditect.dev/standards](https://docs.coditect.dev/standards)
- 💬 **Discord:** #standards channel in [CODITECT Discord](https://discord.gg/coditect)
- 🐛 **Issues:** [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/coditect/core/issues) with "standards" label
- 📧 **Email:** [standards@coditect.dev](mailto:standards@coditect.dev)

**Common Questions:**
- See [Standards FAQ](docs/standards-faq.md)
- Browse [past standard proposals](https://github.com/coditect/core/issues?q=label%3Astandards)

---

## License

![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)

All CODITECT standards documentation is licensed under MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE)

---

## Version History

- **v1.0.0 (2025-12-03):** Initial production release of standards
- **v0.9.0 (2025-11-15):** Beta release with 5 core standards
- **v0.5.0 (2025-10-20):** Alpha release for internal review

See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) for complete version history.

---

**CODITECT Framework Standards** - Ensuring quality and consistency across the CODITECT ecosystem
© 2025 AZ1.AI INC. All Rights Reserved.

Why This is Grade A (Standards Repository):

✅ Clear standards overview with scope and audience
✅ Comprehensive standards index table with status badges
✅ Category organization for easy navigation
✅ Directory structure visualization
✅ Getting started for different user types (developers, reviewers)
✅ Contributing process clearly defined
✅ Enforcement and compliance section with automation details
✅ Compliance dashboard and tracking
✅ Progressive disclosure (links to detailed standard documents)
✅ Professional formatting and visual hierarchy
✅ All required and recommended sections present

11.3 Grade B Example

# TaskManager

![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/org/taskmanager/ci.yml)
![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache%202.0-blue.svg)

A simple command-line task management tool for developers. Manage tasks, track time,
and organize projects directly from your terminal.

## Features

- Create and manage tasks
- Track time spent on tasks
- Organize tasks into projects
- Export data to JSON/CSV

## Installation

```bash
npm install -g taskmanager

Usage

# Create a task
taskmanager add "Implement user authentication"

# List tasks
taskmanager list

# Mark task as complete
taskmanager complete 1

See documentation for more examples.

Documentation

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before submitting PRs.

License

Licensed under Apache 2.0 - see LICENSE

**Why This is Grade B:**
- ✅ All required sections present
- ✅ Clear description and features
- ✅ Basic installation and usage
- ✅ Links to documentation
- ✅ 2 relevant badges
- ⚠️ Quick start could be more detailed
- ⚠️ Missing expected output in usage examples
- ⚠️ No progressive disclosure (README could link to more resources)
- ⚠️ No support section
- ⚠️ Could use more visual hierarchy (TOC, sections)

### 11.4 Grade F Example (Anti-Pattern)

```markdown
# Project

This is a project that does stuff with tasks.

## Installation

Install it with npm or pip or whatever package manager you use.

## Usage

See the code for how to use it.

## Contributing

PRs are welcome.

Why This is Grade F:

❌ Generic title ("Project")
❌ Vague description ("does stuff")
❌ No actual installation instructions
❌ No usage examples
❌ No license section
❌ No link to documentation
❌ No features, quick start, or support sections
❌ Unprofessional writing
❌ Provides no value to users

12. Migration Guide

Refactoring Existing README to Compliance

Step 1: Assessment (15 minutes)

Grade current README using Quality Grading Criteria
Identify missing required sections
Identify missing recommended sections
Note content quality issues (clarity, examples, links)

Step 2: Quick Wins (30 minutes)

Priority fixes for immediate improvement:

# Quick Win Checklist

Required Sections:
- [ ] Add missing Title (if generic, make specific)
- [ ] Add/improve Description (3-5 sentences, What/Why/How)
- [ ] Add/improve Installation (prerequisites, commands, verification)
- [ ] Add/improve Usage (working example with output)
- [ ] Add License section (if missing)

Recommended Sections:
- [ ] Add Quick Start (functioning in <10 minutes)
- [ ] Add Features list (3+ key capabilities)
- [ ] Add Contributing section (link to CONTRIBUTING.md)
- [ ] Add Support section (docs, issues, community)

Content Quality:
- [ ] Fix broken links
- [ ] Add output to code examples
- [ ] Improve visual hierarchy (heading levels)
- [ ] Add 2-4 relevant badges

Step 3: Progressive Disclosure (60 minutes)

Move detailed content to separate files:

Before (bloated README):

## API Endpoints

[100+ lines of endpoint documentation]

## Configuration

[50+ lines of config options]

## Deployment

[80+ lines of deployment instructions]

After (lean README with links):

## API Documentation

Complete REST API with user, project, and authentication endpoints.

**Quick Reference:**
- [API Overview](docs/api/README.md)
- [User Endpoints](docs/api/users.md)
- [Auth Endpoints](docs/api/auth.md)
- [OpenAPI Spec](api/openapi.yaml)

See [complete API documentation](docs/api/README.md) for all endpoints.

## Configuration

Configure via environment variables or config file. See [Configuration Guide](docs/configuration.md).

**Essential Settings:**
```bash
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://localhost/db
API_KEY=your_api_key_here
PORT=3000

Deployment

Quick Deploy:

docker-compose up -d

See Deployment Guide for production setup, scaling, and monitoring.

**Step 4: Quality Improvements (30-60 minutes)**

**Improve Visual Hierarchy:**
```markdown
# Before (poor hierarchy)
# Project Name
### Installation  ← Skips H2
## Usage
# Another Title  ← Multiple H1s

# After (good hierarchy)
# Project Name
## Installation
### Prerequisites
### Install Steps
## Usage
### Basic Example
### Advanced Usage

Add Code Output:

# Before (no output)
```python
result = api.call()

After (with output)

result = api.call()
print(result)

Output:

{"status": "success", "data": {...}}

**Improve Links:**
```markdown
# Before (absolute URLs)
[Contributing](https://github.com/org/repo/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)

# After (relative paths)
[Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md)

Step 5: Validation (15 minutes)

Run through Validation Checklist:

Step 6: Continuous Improvement

Add to calendar: Review README quarterly
Update README with each major release
Gather user feedback on clarity
Monitor analytics (if available) for common entry points
Keep examples current with API changes

13. Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: README too long (>100 KB)

Solution: Implement progressive disclosure

Identify sections with >50 lines
Move detailed content to separate files (docs/GUIDE.md)
Keep 5-10 line summary in README
Add links to detailed documentation

Issue: No one follows quick start successfully

Solution: Test with fresh user

Get someone unfamiliar with project
Watch them follow quick start (don't help)
Note where they get stuck
Revise instructions to address pain points
Repeat until 90%+ success rate

Issue: Badges are outdated or broken

Solution: Use auto-updating badges from Shields.io

# Static (bad - manual updates)
![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-1.0.0-blue)

# Dynamic (good - auto-updates)
![Version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/package-name)

Issue: Links broken after repository reorganization

Solution: Use relative paths and verify links

# Find broken links
npm install -g markdown-link-check
markdown-link-check README.md

# Use relative paths (not absolute)
[Guide](docs/guide.md)  # ✅ Good
[Guide](https://github.com/org/repo/blob/main/docs/guide.md)  # ❌ Bad

Issue: README looks different on GitHub vs locally

Solution: Preview on GitHub before committing

Create draft PR to see rendered version
Or use GitHub Desktop preview
Or use VS Code Markdown preview (close but not exact)

Issue: Table of Contents doesn't match sections

Solution: Use GitHub auto-generated TOC or verify anchor links

# Manual TOC - verify anchors match headings
## Quick Start Guide
Link: #quick-start-guide  ✅

## Quick-Start Guide
Link: #quick-start-guide  ❌ (dash vs space mismatch)

Issue: Users can't find important information

Solution: Add Quick Links at top

**Quick Links:** [Installation](#installation) | [Usage](#usage) | [API Docs](#api-documentation) | [Support](#support)

14. References

Official Documentation

GitHub - About READMEs - GitHub official README documentation
GitHub - Basic Writing and Formatting Syntax - GitHub Markdown reference
Shields.io - Badge generation service (1.6B images/month)

Standard Specifications

Standard README Specification - Community-driven README standard
Make a README - README creation guide with templates
Markdown Guide - Basic Syntax - Comprehensive Markdown reference

Anthropic Examples

Claude Code Repository - Official Anthropic Claude Code README
Claude Quickstarts - Claude API quickstart examples
Claude Agent SDK Demos - Multi-agent framework examples

Best Practices Guides

FreeCodeCamp - How to Write a Good README - Comprehensive README writing guide
Tilburg Science Hub - README Best Practices - Data science README patterns
Hatica - Best Practices for GitHub README - Developer-focused best practices
Welcome to the Jungle - README Documentation Best Practices - Essential README sections
Daily.dev - README Badges Best Practices - Badge usage guidelines
Archbee - Creating Great README Docs - Visual elements and formatting

I'd Rather Be Writing - Navigation Design Principles - Documentation navigation patterns
I'd Rather Be Writing - Progressive Disclosure - Progressive disclosure in documentation
SetCorrect - Table of Contents Tutorial - Creating effective TOCs
InnerSource Patterns - Base Documentation - Documentation structure patterns

Progressive Disclosure and UX

UX Bulletin - Progressive Disclosure - Progressive disclosure fundamentals
IxDF - Progressive Disclosure - Progressive disclosure in UX design
LogRocket - Progressive Disclosure in UX - Complex content management

Quick Start Best Practices

ReadMe - Effective API Quick Starts - API quick start examples
Daytona - Write 4000 Stars GitHub README - Popular README patterns
Appsmith - Write a Great README - README writing strategies

Template Repositories

Best-README-Template - Comprehensive README template (28K+ stars)
Awesome README Collection - Curated list of excellent READMEs (17K+ stars)
README Best Practices Template - Minimal README template

Writing Style and Accessibility

PyOpenSci - README Guidelines - Python package README patterns
Microsoft Azure DevOps - Markdown Guidance - Enterprise Markdown standards

Additional Resources

The Junkland - Write Good README - Practical README tips
Medium - README Rules - Structure and style guide
Medium - Creating a Powerful README - README power patterns
Startup House - How to Write a README - README for startups

15. Appendices

Appendix A: Badge Reference

Build Status Badges:

![GitHub Actions](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/USER/REPO/ci.yml)
![Travis CI](https://img.shields.io/travis/USER/REPO)
![CircleCI](https://img.shields.io/circleci/build/github/USER/REPO)

Version Badges:

![npm](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/PACKAGE)
![PyPI](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/PACKAGE)
![Maven Central](https://img.shields.io/maven-central/v/GROUP/ARTIFACT)
![NuGet](https://img.shields.io/nuget/v/PACKAGE)

License Badges:

![MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)
![Apache 2.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache%202.0-blue.svg)
![GPL v3](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPLv3-blue.svg)

Download Badges:

![npm downloads](https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/PACKAGE)
![PyPI downloads](https://img.shields.io/pypi/dm/PACKAGE)
![GitHub downloads](https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/USER/REPO/total)

Coverage Badges:

![Codecov](https://img.shields.io/codecov/c/github/USER/REPO)
![Coveralls](https://img.shields.io/coveralls/github/USER/REPO)

Status Badges (for Standards Repositories):

![Approved](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-approved-green)
![Draft](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-draft-yellow)
![Review](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-review-blue)
![Deprecated](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-deprecated-red)

Appendix B: README Templates

Template 1: Standard Project README

# Project Name

![Badge1] ![Badge2] ![Badge3]

Brief description (3-5 sentences) answering What, Why, How.

**Key Features:**
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

---

## Quick Start

### Prerequisites

- [ ] Prerequisite 1
- [ ] Prerequisite 2

### 1. Install

```bash
installation command

2. Configure

configuration command

3. Run

run command

4. Verify

Expected output: [description]

Features

Feature 1 with explanation
Feature 2 with explanation
Feature 3 with explanation

Installation

Detailed installation instructions...

Usage

Basic Example

code example

Output:

expected output

Advanced Usage

Documentation

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md

Support

📖 Docs
💬 Discord
🐛 Issues

License

Licensed under [License Name] - see LICENSE

**Template 2: Standards Repository README**

```markdown
# Standards Directory Name

![Status Badge] ![Version Badge] ![Updated Badge]

Brief description of standards scope and purpose.

**Quick Links:** [Index](#standards-index) | [Getting Started](#getting-started) | [Contributing](#contributing)

---

## Standards Overview

- **Scope:** What standards cover
- **Audience:** Who should follow
- **Status:** Current status
- **Last Updated:** Date

**Covered Areas:**
- Area 1
- Area 2

---

## Standards Index

| Standard | Description | Status | Version | Last Updated |
|----------|-------------|--------|---------|--------------|
| [STD-001](std-001.md) | Description | ![Badge] | 1.0.0 | YYYY-MM-DD |

---

## Standards by Category

### Category 1
- [Standard 1](category1/std1.md)
- [Standard 2](category1/std2.md)

---

## Directory Structure

standards/ ├── README.md ├── category1/ └── category2/

---

## Getting Started

Instructions for using standards...

---

## Contributing to Standards

Process for proposing standards...

---

## Enforcement and Compliance

Compliance requirements and validation...

---

## Support

Support channels...

---

## License

License information...

Appendix C: Anchor Link Quick Reference

Heading → Anchor Conversion Rules:

Heading	Anchor Link
`## Installation`	`#installation`
`## Quick Start`	`#quick-start`
`## API Documentation`	`#api-documentation`
`## Quick Start Guide`	`#quick-start-guide`
`## FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)`	`#faq-frequently-asked-questions`
`## V2.0 Release`	`#v20-release`

Rules:

Convert to lowercase
Replace spaces with hyphens
Remove special characters ((), !, ,, .)
Keep numbers and hyphens
Remove leading/trailing hyphens

Appendix D: README Size Guidelines

Recommended Size	Bytes	Lines	Purpose
Ideal	5-15 KB	100-300	Quick overview with links
Acceptable	15-50 KB	300-1000	Comprehensive but navigable
Warning	50-100 KB	1000-2000	Consider splitting content
Excessive	100-500 KB	2000-10000	Implement progressive disclosure
GitHub Limit	500 KB	~10000	Content truncated beyond this

Size Optimization Tips:

Move detailed API docs to docs/api/README.md
Move deployment guides to docs/deployment.md
Move architecture to docs/architecture.md
Keep README as navigation hub, not encyclopedia

Document End

Version: 1.0.0 Status: Production Standard Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Word Count: 7,200+ words Compliance: Grade A (CODITECT Standard)

Next Steps:

Apply this standard to existing README.md files
Use validation checklist before publishing
Leverage templates for new projects
Monitor compliance via automated checks
Review and update quarterly

Questions or Feedback: Open an issue with "README-standard" label or contact standards team.

Executive Summary​

1. File Format and Location​

1.1 File Naming​

1.2 File Locations and Placement Priority​

1.3 Technical Specifications​

2. Core Principles​

2.1 Answer What, Why, How​

2.2 Progressive Disclosure​

3. Required Sections​

3.1 Project Title (REQUIRED)​

3.2 Description / Overview (REQUIRED)​

3.3 Installation (REQUIRED)​

Verify​

Install from source​

Verify Installation​

3.4 Usage (REQUIRED)​

Advanced Usage​

Provider Failover​

Advanced Usage​

3.5 License (REQUIRED)​

4. Recommended Sections​

4.1 Table of Contents (Recommended for >5 sections)​

4.2 Features (Recommended)​

4.3 Quick Start / Getting Started (Highly Recommended)​

2. Configure​

3. Run​

4. Verify​

2. Set Up Environment​

3. Run Example​

4. Verify​

4.4 Contributing (Recommended)​

4.5 Support / Contact (Recommended)​

5. Optional Sections​

5.1 Badges (Optional - Use Sparingly)​

5.2 Screenshots / Demos (Optional)​

5.3 Roadmap (Optional)​

5.4 FAQ (Optional)​

5.5 Acknowledgments / Credits (Optional)​

6. Standards Repository Specific Guidelines​

6.1 Standards Overview Section​

6.2 Standards Index Table​

6.3 Category Organization​

6.4 Directory Structure Visualization​

6.5 Getting Started for Standards Users​

6.6 Contributing to Standards​

6.7 Enforcement and Compliance​

7. Visual Hierarchy and Formatting​

7.1 Markdown Formatting Best Practices​

7.2 Visual Elements​

7.3 Accessibility Considerations​

8. Content Guidelines​

8.1 Writing Style​

8.2 Link Strategy​

8.3 Maintenance​

9. Quality Grading Criteria​

Grade A (90-100%) - Exemplary​

Grade B (80-89%) - Good​

Grade C (70-79%) - Acceptable​

Grade D (60-69%) - Below Standard​

Grade F (0-59%) - Unacceptable​

10. Validation Checklist​

Pre-Publication Checklist​

11. Examples​

11.1 Grade A Example - Standard Project​

2. Set Up Environment​

3. Run Example​

Features​

Installation​

Via pip (Recommended)​

From Source​

Verify Installation​

Usage​

Basic Payment Processing​

Provider Failover​

Subscription Management​

Advanced Usage​

Documentation​

Contributing​

Support​

License​

Executive Summary

1. File Format and Location

1.1 File Naming

1.2 File Locations and Placement Priority

1.3 Technical Specifications

2. Core Principles

2.1 Answer What, Why, How

2.2 Progressive Disclosure

3. Required Sections

3.1 Project Title (REQUIRED)

3.2 Description / Overview (REQUIRED)

3.3 Installation (REQUIRED)

Verify

Install from source

Verify Installation

3.4 Usage (REQUIRED)

Advanced Usage

Provider Failover

Advanced Usage

3.5 License (REQUIRED)

4. Recommended Sections

4.1 Table of Contents (Recommended for >5 sections)

4.2 Features (Recommended)

4.3 Quick Start / Getting Started (Highly Recommended)

2. Configure

3. Run

4. Verify

2. Set Up Environment

3. Run Example

4. Verify

4.4 Contributing (Recommended)

4.5 Support / Contact (Recommended)

5. Optional Sections

5.1 Badges (Optional - Use Sparingly)

5.2 Screenshots / Demos (Optional)

5.3 Roadmap (Optional)

5.4 FAQ (Optional)

5.5 Acknowledgments / Credits (Optional)

6. Standards Repository Specific Guidelines

6.1 Standards Overview Section

6.2 Standards Index Table

6.3 Category Organization

6.4 Directory Structure Visualization

6.5 Getting Started for Standards Users

6.6 Contributing to Standards

6.7 Enforcement and Compliance

7. Visual Hierarchy and Formatting

7.1 Markdown Formatting Best Practices

7.2 Visual Elements

7.3 Accessibility Considerations

8. Content Guidelines

8.1 Writing Style

8.2 Link Strategy

8.3 Maintenance

9. Quality Grading Criteria

Grade A (90-100%) - Exemplary

Grade B (80-89%) - Good

Grade C (70-79%) - Acceptable

Grade D (60-69%) - Below Standard

Grade F (0-59%) - Unacceptable

10. Validation Checklist

Pre-Publication Checklist

11. Examples

11.1 Grade A Example - Standard Project

2. Set Up Environment

3. Run Example

Features

Installation

Via pip (Recommended)

From Source

Verify Installation

Usage

Basic Payment Processing

Provider Failover

Subscription Management

Advanced Usage

Documentation

Contributing

Support

License