Portfolio - lesson 4 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

One job

Your README does the first explanation before anyone reads your code. GitHub says a repository README is often the first item a visitor sees.

Make the first screen answer four things: what it does, why it is useful, how to get started, and where to try it live if you have a demo.

What to include

You do not need a long story. You need a clean path from curiosity to testing.

Use these parts: short summary, why it exists, features, live demo, tech stack, local setup, screenshots, and contact or maintainer note.

Example

README opening

This is enough for a reviewer to understand the project quickly. Change the name, stack, and steps for your own app.

RoomSplit

A simple web app to split shared expenses between roommates and track who owes whom.

Why this exists
Many students in hostels and flats pay for groceries, electricity, and delivery orders together. This app helps calculate shares quickly and avoid confusion.

Features
- Add people and expenses
- Split costs equally or by amount
- See balance summary
- Export a simple report

Live demo
https://your-demo-link-here

Tech stack
- React
- Node.js
- Express
- MongoDB

How to run locally
1. Clone the repo
2. Run npm install in frontend and backend
3. Set environment variables
4. Run npm run dev

Screenshots
Add 1 to 3 images in a screenshots folder and link them here

Your to-do

Write the sections

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Start with 2 to 3 short lines saying what the project is and who it helps.
List 3 to 6 real features, like Add expenses or Export report.
Add a live demo link near the top if the project can be deployed.
Add setup steps that work on a fresh laptop.
Add at least one screenshot or a short demo so people can see the result.

0 of 5 done

Example

Setup section

If your app has a frontend and backend, split the setup clearly. If you use environment variables, show the file name and variable names, but never commit secrets.

How to run locally

Frontend
cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev

Backend
cd backend
npm install
cp .env.example .env
npm run dev

Common mistake

Common mistakes

Do not copy the assignment brief. It explains the task, not your finished project.

Do not use vague feature bullets like user friendly, scalable, or modern. Say what the app actually does.

Tip

Place it right

GitHub automatically shows README files from the .github directory, root directory, or docs directory. If there are multiple README files, GitHub displays .github first, then root, then docs.

For this track, keep your main project README simple and easy to find. The root README.md is the safest habit for college project repos.