Customize the README file of your profile at Github, make your developer business card “your style” and increase the visibility and impact of your technical position in the area of software development.
What is the README file
A README file is often the first item a visitor will see when accessing your source code repository. They usually include information about:
- What your project do
- Why the project is useful
- How users can get started with the project
- Where users can get help with their project
- Who maintains and contributes to the project
Software project management systems such as Github, gitlab or bitbucket, README files are written in Markdown. On Github a version called GitHub Flavored Markdown.
In the case of your Github profile, the README will allow for personalization like a professional business card.
What is a Github profile
Your profile page tells your professional story as a software developer through repositories you are interested in, contributions you have made and interactions you have had.
You can add personal information about yourself even in your bio, such as places you've worked before, projects you've contributed to, or interests you have that other people might like to know about.
If you add a README file to the root of a public repository with the same username, that README will automatically appear on your profile page, which you can edit to create a custom section in your profile.
Customizing your Github Profile README
You can add a README to your GitHub profile to customize how other people get to know you professionally.
You decide what information to include in your profile README. With full control over how you present yourself on GitHub.
Here are some examples of information that might be interesting, fun, or useful in your profile's README.
- An “About Me” section that describes your work and interests
- Contributions from projects you are proud of, as well as the context for those contributions
- Guidance for getting help in the communities where you are involved
- Personal curiosities
You can format text and include emojis, images, and GIFs in your README profile using GitHub-specific markdown.
Initial setup of your profile's README
Prerequisites for Github to show your README in profile:
- Create a repository with a name matching your Github username
- Set this repository as public
- Add a file named
README.mdat the roor folder of your repository - Add the content in the README file
In my case my username is nunomazer, so on the screen to create a new repository, the settings are as in the following image, with the options public and Add a README file marked:
When showing your new repository, a button for editing the README is enabled, so you can start customizing your professional profile.
By clicking on the edit button, a file with suggested topics opens, where you can complement according to your professional history and interests to be disclosed:
You can remove comments ( <!-- and --> ) and start customizing your profile via the README on Github.
Congratulations, you've just customized your profile on Github, here's an example of how professional it looks, even with the simplest and most suggested content when creating your personalization.
Now just use your imagination!!!
