README Generator CLI

A command-line tool that automatically generates comprehensive README.md files for your projects using an LLM. This README was generated via the tool!

Prerequisites

• Python 3.9 or later
• Node.js and npm (for package dependencies)
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) account and a Gemini API Key
  • Get your free Gemini API key from Google AI Studio

Installation

1. Install Node.js and Python if needed:

   • Install Python from python.org
   • Install Node.js from nodejs.org

2. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/mainnebula/ReadMe-Generator
   cd ReadMe-Generator

3. Create and activate a virtual environment:

   # Create virtual environment
   python -m venv .venv
   
   # Activate it
   # On Unix/MacOS:
   source .venv/bin/activate
   # On Windows:
   # .venv\Scripts\activate

4. Install in development mode:

   # This will install both Python and Node.js dependencies
   pip install -e .

Usage Tutorial

1. Basic Usage (Same Directory)

# Activate the virtual environment if not already active
source /path/to/ReadMe-Generator/.venv/bin/activate

# Create .env file with your API key
echo "GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_here" > .env

# Generate README for the current directory
readme-generator

2. Using in Other Directories

There are two ways to use the tool in different directories:

Method A: With Activated Virtual Environment

# 1. Activate the virtual environment
source /path/to/ReadMe-Generator/.venv/bin/activate

# 2. Navigate to your project
cd /path/to/your/project

# 3. Create .env file
echo "GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_here" > .env

# 4. Generate README
readme-generator

Method B: Using Full Path (No Activation Required)

# 1. Navigate to your project
cd /path/to/your/project

# 2. Create .env file
echo "GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_here" > .env

# 3. Run using full path
/path/to/ReadMe-Generator/.venv/bin/readme-generator

3. Command Options

# Show help
readme-generator --help

# Generate with verbose output
readme-generator --verbose

# Custom output files
readme-generator -o custom-output.txt -r CUSTOM-README.md

# Keep the intermediate file
readme-generator -k

# Process a specific directory
readme-generator /path/to/directory

# Combine options
readme-generator --verbose -k -o packed.txt -r docs/README.md /path/to/directory

Common Use Cases

1. Generate README for a sibling project:

   cd ../another-project
   /path/to/ReadMe-Generator/.venv/bin/readme-generator

2. Generate README for a project in your home directory:

   /path/to/ReadMe-Generator/.venv/bin/readme-generator ~/projects/my-app

3. Generate README with detailed logging:

   readme-generator --verbose

4. Generate README in a custom location:

   readme-generator -r docs/PROJECT-README.md

Configuration

The tool reads these environment variables (in your .env file):

• GEMINI_API_KEY (required): Your Gemini API key
• GEMINI_MODEL (optional): The model to use (default: gemini-1.5-flash)
• DEFAULT_OUTPUT (optional): Default output filename (default: repopack-output.txt)
• DEFAULT_README (optional): Default README filename (default: README.md)

Project Structure

ReadMe-Generator/
├── src/
│   └── readme_generator/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── __main__.py
│       ├── cli.py
│       ├── config.py
│       ├── generator.py
│       ├── logger.py
│       └── utils.py
├── tests/
│   └── conftest.py
├── .gitignore
├── LICENSE
├── pyproject.toml
├── requirements-dev.txt
├── requirements.txt
└── setup.py

Error Messages

• GEMINI_API_KEY not found in environment variables: Make sure to set the GEMINI_API_KEY environment variable in your .env file.
• Failed to run Repopack: Ensure that Node.js and npm are installed and that Repopack is installed globally.
• Failed to configure Gemini client: Verify your Gemini API key is correct and that the Generative AI API is enabled in your GCP project.
• Failed to generate README: There might be an issue with the Gemini model or your codebase content. Try increasing the MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS configuration or simplifying your codebase.
• Failed to process directory: Ensure the specified directory exists and that you have read access to its contents.
• Failed to read file or Failed to write file: Ensure the specified file paths are correct and that you have read/write permissions.

If you encounter any other errors, please refer to the detailed logs in verbose mode or consult the documentation for more information.

Troubleshooting

1. "Command not found" error:

   • Make sure you've activated the virtual environment
   • Or use the full path to the executable

2. API Key errors:

   # Check if .env file exists
   ls -la .env
   
   # Make sure it has the correct content
   cat .env
   # Should show: GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_here

3. Directory permission errors:

   • Check if you have write permissions in the target directory
   • Try running with --verbose flag for more details

4. Node.js dependency errors:

   # Reinstall dependencies
   cd /path/to/ReadMe-Generator
   rm -rf node_modules
   pip install -e .

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these guidelines:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix.
3. Commit your changes with clear and concise messages.
4. Push your branch to your fork.
5. Create a pull request to the main repository.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.