README Wizard

AI-powered README generator that scans your codebase and creates comprehensive documentation using Claude AI.

Features

• Intelligent Codebase Scanning - Automatically discovers and analyzes project structure
• Priority File Detection - Focuses on key files like package.json, Dockerfile, config files
• Smart Content Filtering - Excludes binary files, build artifacts, and secrets
• Multiple Output Options - Generate files or preview with --dry-run
• Configurable Limits - Control max files and lines to stay within token limits
• Project Tree Generation - Visual directory structure in output
• Gitignore Integration - Respects existing .gitignore patterns
• CLI-First Design - Simple commands with helpful spinners and colored output

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16 or higher
• Anthropic API key (for Claude AI access)

Installation

Install globally via npm:

npm install -g readme-wizard

Or run directly with npx:

npx readme-wizard generate

Configuration

Set your Anthropic API key as an environment variable:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

Usage

Generate README for current directory

readme-wizard generate

Generate for specific directory

readme-wizard gen /path/to/project

Preview without writing file

readme-wizard generate --dry-run

Custom output location

readme-wizard generate -o DOCUMENTATION.md

Scan only (see what would be sent to AI)

readme-wizard scan

CLI Reference

generate [dir] (alias: gen)

Generate a README by scanning the project and sending context to Claude AI.

Options:

• -o, --output <file> - Output file path (default: README.md)
• -m, --model <model> - Claude model to use (default: claude-sonnet-4-20250514)
• --max-files <n> - Maximum files to include in context (default: 80)
• --max-lines <n> - Maximum lines per file to read (default: 150)
• --no-tree - Skip project tree generation
• --dry-run - Print README to stdout instead of writing file
• --overwrite - Overwrite existing README without prompting

scan [dir]

Scan project and show what would be sent to the LLM without generating README.

Options:

• --max-files <n> - Maximum files to include (default: 80)
• --max-lines <n> - Maximum lines per file (default: 150)

Project Structure

Readme_generator_llm/
├── docs/
│   └── index.html          # Project documentation page
├── src/
│   ├── index.js           # CLI entry point and command definitions
│   ├── scanner.js         # Codebase scanning and file analysis
│   └── generator.js       # Claude AI integration and README generation
└── package.json           # NPM package configuration

Key Files

• src/index.js - Main CLI application using Commander.js with colorful output via Chalk and Ora
• src/scanner.js - Core scanning logic that builds project trees, respects gitignore, and categorizes files by priority
• src/generator.js - Handles Anthropic API integration and prompt construction for Claude AI
• docs/index.html - Landing page with installation and usage instructions

How It Works

1. Scan Phase - Recursively walks project directory, filtering files based on:

   • Gitignore patterns + built-in exclusions (node_modules, build artifacts, etc.)
   • File extension allowlist (source code, configs, documentation)
   • Priority patterns (package.json, Dockerfile, etc. get full content)

2. Context Building - Creates structured prompt with:

   • Project name (from directory or package.json)
   • Complete file listing
   • Directory tree visualization
   • Key file contents (truncated if needed)

3. AI Generation - Sends context to Claude AI with specific instructions to:

   • Detect project type and purpose
   • Generate appropriate sections (installation, usage, etc.)
   • Use real code examples from the scanned files
   • Output clean Markdown without placeholders

Contributing

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies: npm install
3. Run in development mode: npm run dev
4. Make your changes and test with real projects
5. Submit a pull request

The codebase uses ES modules and modern Node.js features. Key dependencies:

• @anthropic-ai/sdk - Claude AI integration
• commander - CLI framework
• chalk & ora - Terminal styling and spinners
• glob & ignore - File system operations