dotnet-github-docs

GitHub-native documentation patterns for .NET projects: README structure with NuGet/CI/coverage badges and installation instructions, CONTRIBUTING.md with fork-PR workflow and development setup, issue templates (bug report with .NET version and repro steps, feature request with problem/solution/alternatives), PR templates with testing checklist and breaking changes section, GitHub Pages setup for documentation sites, repository metadata (CODEOWNERS, FUNDING.yml, social preview, topics/tags), and Mermaid diagram embedding in README files.

Version assumptions: .NET 8.0+ baseline for code examples. GitHub Actions for CI badges. NuGet.org for package badges.

Scope

• README structure with NuGet/CI/coverage badges
• CONTRIBUTING.md with fork-PR workflow
• Issue templates (bug report, feature request)
• PR templates with testing checklist
• Repository metadata (CODEOWNERS, FUNDING.yml, topics/tags)
• Mermaid diagram embedding in README files

Out of scope

• CI/CD deployment workflows for GitHub Pages — see [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy]
• Changelog generation and release versioning — see [skill:dotnet-release-management]
• Documentation platform selection — see [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy]
• Mermaid diagram syntax details — see [skill:dotnet-mermaid-diagrams]
• Project file structure and solution organization — see [skill:dotnet-project-structure]

Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy] for GitHub Pages deployment pipelines, [skill:dotnet-release-management] for changelog format and versioning, [skill:dotnet-mermaid-diagrams] for .NET-specific Mermaid diagrams in READMEs, [skill:dotnet-project-structure] for project metadata context, [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy] for doc platform selection.

README Structure for .NET Projects

A well-structured README provides immediate context for contributors and consumers of a .NET project.

Badges

Place badges at the top of the README, grouped by category:

# My.Library

[![NuGet](https://img.shields.io/nuget/v/My.Library.svg)](https://www.nuget.org/packages/My.Library)
[![NuGet Downloads](https://img.shields.io/nuget/dt/My.Library.svg)](https://www.nuget.org/packages/My.Library)
[![Build Status](https://github.com/mycompany/my-library/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/mycompany/my-library/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/mycompany/my-library/branch/main/graph/badge.svg)](https://codecov.io/gh/mycompany/my-library)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

Badge categories for .NET projects:

Recommended README Sections

# My.Library

[badges here]

Short one-paragraph description of what the library does and why it exists.

## Installation

```shell
dotnet add package My.Library
```

Or via PackageReference in your `.csproj`:

```xml
<PackageReference Include="My.Library" Version="1.0.0" />
```

## Quick Start

```csharp
using My.Library;

var service = new WidgetService();
var widget = await service.CreateWidgetAsync("example");
Console.WriteLine(widget.Id);
```

## Features

- Feature 1: brief description
- Feature 2: brief description
- Feature 3: brief description

## Documentation

Full documentation is available at [https://mycompany.github.io/my-library](https://mycompany.github.io/my-library).

## Architecture

[Mermaid architecture diagram -- see [skill:dotnet-mermaid-diagrams] for patterns]

## Contributing

Please read [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for details on our code of conduct and the process for submitting pull requests.

## License

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

## Changelog

See [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) for a history of changes. For changelog format conventions, see [skill:dotnet-release-management].

Architecture Diagram in README

Embed a Mermaid architecture diagram directly in the README for visual context. GitHub renders Mermaid fenced code blocks natively:

## Architecture

```mermaid
graph TB
    subgraph Client
        App["Consumer App"]
    end
    subgraph Library["My.Library"]
        API["Public API Surface"]
        Core["Core Engine"]
        Cache["In-Memory Cache"]
    end
    App --> API
    API --> Core
    Core --> Cache
```

See [skill:dotnet-mermaid-diagrams] for .NET-specific diagram patterns including C4-style architecture, sequence diagrams for API flows, and class diagrams for domain models.

CONTRIBUTING.md Patterns

Fork-PR Workflow

# Contributing to My.Library

Thank you for your interest in contributing! This document provides guidelines
and instructions for contributing.

## Getting Started

1. Fork the repository
2. Clone your fork: `git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/my-library.git`
3. Create a feature branch: `git checkout -b feature/my-feature`
4. Make your changes
5. Submit a pull request

## Development Setup

### Prerequisites

- [.NET 8.0 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0) or later
- An IDE: [Visual Studio 2022](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/), [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) with C# Dev Kit, or [JetBrains Rider](https://www.jetbrains.com/rider/)

### Building

```shell
dotnet restore
dotnet build

Running Tests

dotnet test

To run tests with coverage:

dotnet test --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage"

Coding Standards

• Follow the .NET coding conventions
• Use dotnet format to enforce code style before committing
• All public APIs must have XML documentation comments
• New features must include unit tests

Pull Request Process

1. Update documentation for any changed public APIs
2. Add or update tests to cover your changes
3. Ensure all tests pass: dotnet test
4. Ensure code compiles without warnings: dotnet build -warnaserror
5. Update the CHANGELOG.md with your changes under the [Unreleased] section
6. The PR will be reviewed by a maintainer

Reporting Issues

• Use the Bug Report template for bugs
• Use the Feature Request template for enhancements

---

## Issue Templates

### Bug Report Template

```yaml
# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
name: Bug Report
description: Report a bug in the library
title: "[Bug]: "
labels: ["bug", "triage"]
body:
  - type: markdown
    attributes:
      value: |
        Thank you for reporting a bug. Please fill out the information below
        to help us diagnose and fix the issue.

  - type: textarea
    id: description
    attributes:
      label: Description
      description: A clear and concise description of the bug.
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: repro-steps
    attributes:
      label: Steps to Reproduce
      description: Steps to reproduce the behavior.
      value: |
        1. Install package version X
        2. Call method Y with parameters Z
        3. Observe error
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: expected
    attributes:
      label: Expected Behavior
      description: What you expected to happen.
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: actual
    attributes:
      label: Actual Behavior
      description: What actually happened. Include any error messages or stack traces.
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: input
    id: dotnet-version
    attributes:
      label: .NET Version
      description: "Output of `dotnet --version`"
      placeholder: "8.0.100"
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: dropdown
    id: os
    attributes:
      label: Operating System
      options:
        - Windows
        - macOS
        - Linux
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: additional
    attributes:
      label: Additional Context
      description: Any other context about the problem (project type, related packages, etc.)

Feature Request Template

# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.yml
name: Feature Request
description: Suggest a new feature or enhancement
title: "[Feature]: "
labels: ["enhancement"]
body:
  - type: textarea
    id: problem
    attributes:
      label: Problem Statement
      description: Describe the problem this feature would solve.
      placeholder: "I'm always frustrated when..."
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: solution
    attributes:
      label: Proposed Solution
      description: Describe the solution you'd like to see.
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: alternatives
    attributes:
      label: Alternatives Considered
      description: Describe any alternative solutions or features you've considered.

  - type: textarea
    id: api-surface
    attributes:
      label: API Surface (if applicable)
      description: |
        If you have a proposed API design, include it here.
      render: csharp

Question / Discussion Template

# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/question.yml
name: Question
description: Ask a question about using the library
title: "[Question]: "
labels: ["question"]
body:
  - type: textarea
    id: question
    attributes:
      label: Question
      description: What would you like to know?
    validations:
      required: true

  - type: textarea
    id: context
    attributes:
      label: Context
      description: |
        Provide context about what you're trying to accomplish.
        Include code snippets if relevant.
      render: csharp

Issue Template Config

# .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml
blank_issues_enabled: false
contact_links:
  - name: Discussions
    url: https://github.com/mycompany/my-library/discussions
    about: Use discussions for general questions and community support
  - name: Stack Overflow
    url: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/my-library
    about: Search for existing answers on Stack Overflow

PR Templates

Pull Request Template

<!-- .github/pull_request_template.md -->

## Description

<!-- Briefly describe the changes in this PR -->

## Type of Change

- [ ] Bug fix (non-breaking change that fixes an issue)
- [ ] New feature (non-breaking change that adds functionality)
- [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to change)
- [ ] Documentation update
- [ ] Refactoring (no functional changes)
- [ ] Performance improvement

## Testing Checklist

- [ ] Unit tests added/updated
- [ ] Integration tests added/updated (if applicable)
- [ ] All existing tests pass (`dotnet test`)
- [ ] Code compiles without warnings (`dotnet build -warnaserror`)

## Breaking Changes

<!-- If this PR introduces breaking changes, describe them here and explain the migration path -->

N/A

## Related Issues

<!-- Link related issues using GitHub keywords: Fixes #123, Closes #456 -->

## Additional Notes

<!-- Any additional information that reviewers should know -->

GitHub Pages Setup

GitHub Pages can host documentation sites generated by Starlight, Docusaurus, or DocFX. This section covers the repository configuration; CI deployment pipeline configuration belongs to [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy].

Repository Settings

1. Navigate to Settings > Pages
2. Under Source, select GitHub Actions (not the legacy branch-based deployment)
3. The deployment workflow in .github/workflows/ handles the build and publish steps

Doc Site Directory Structure

Place documentation source files in a docs/ directory at the repository root:

my-library/
  src/
    MyLibrary/
      MyLibrary.csproj
  docs/
    astro.config.mjs          # For Starlight
    # OR docusaurus.config.js  # For Docusaurus
    # OR docfx.json            # For DocFX
  .github/
    workflows/
      deploy-docs.yml          # Deployment workflow -- see [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy]
  README.md
  CONTRIBUTING.md

Custom Domain

Configure a custom domain for GitHub Pages:

1. Add a CNAME file in the doc site’s static directory (e.g., docs/public/CNAME for Starlight, docs/static/CNAME for Docusaurus)
2. Set the domain in Settings > Pages > Custom domain
3. Enable Enforce HTTPS

Content in the CNAME file:

docs.mylibrary.dev

For documentation platform selection and configuration, see [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy]. For deployment workflow YAML, see [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy].

Repository Metadata

CODEOWNERS

Define code ownership for automated review assignment:

# .github/CODEOWNERS

# Default owner for everything
* @mycompany/core-team

# Documentation
/docs/ @mycompany/docs-team
*.md @mycompany/docs-team

# Source code by area
/src/MyLibrary.Core/ @mycompany/core-team
/src/MyLibrary.Data/ @mycompany/data-team

# Build and CI
/.github/ @mycompany/devops-team
/build/ @mycompany/devops-team
*.props @mycompany/core-team
*.targets @mycompany/core-team

# NuGet configuration
nuget.config @mycompany/core-team
Directory.Packages.props @mycompany/core-team

FUNDING.yml

Configure GitHub Sponsors and other funding links:

# .github/FUNDING.yml
github: [maintainer-username]
open_collective: my-library
custom: ["https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maintainer"]

Social Preview

• Navigate to Settings > General > Social preview
• Upload a 1280×640 image (2:1 aspect ratio)
• Include: project name, logo, brief tagline, and .NET version badge
• Use a consistent brand color scheme

Topics and Tags

Add repository topics for discoverability:

• dotnet, csharp, nuget — ecosystem tags
• library, sdk, framework — project type
• aspnetcore, efcore, blazor — technology-specific tags
• Descriptive tags: serialization, logging, dependency-injection, etc.

Set topics in Settings > General > Topics or via the repository description area on the main page.

Repository Description

Keep the repository description concise (under 350 characters). Include:

• What the project does
• Key differentiator or primary use case
• Target .NET version if relevant

Example: “High-performance JSON serialization library for .NET 8+ with source generator support and AOT compatibility.”

Agent Gotchas

1. Always use YAML-based issue templates (.yml), not Markdown templates (.md) — YAML templates provide structured form fields with validation, dropdowns, and required fields. Markdown templates are the legacy format and offer no input validation.

2. The .github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ directory must contain a config.yml — without it, the “blank issue” option appears by default. Set blank_issues_enabled: false to force users through templates.

3. Badge URLs must use the correct NuGet package ID — the package ID is case-sensitive on shields.io. Use the exact ID from NuGet.org (e.g., Newtonsoft.Json, not newtonsoft.json).

4. CODEOWNERS patterns follow .gitignore syntax — use /src/ for root-relative paths. Without the leading /, the pattern matches anywhere in the tree.

5. GitHub Pages source must be set to “GitHub Actions” — the legacy “Deploy from a branch” mode does not support custom build steps. The GitHub Actions source delegates build and deployment to a workflow. For the workflow YAML, see [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy].

6. Do not generate CI/CD deployment YAML in this skill — deployment workflows for GitHub Pages belong to [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy]. This skill covers repository structure and template content only.

7. Do not generate changelog content — changelog format, versioning strategy, and release notes belong to [skill:dotnet-release-management]. Reference CHANGELOG.md in the README but do not define its format here.

8. PR template file must be named exactly pull_request_template.md — GitHub only recognizes this exact filename (case-insensitive). It can live in the root, docs/, or .github/ directory. The .github/ location is recommended for consistency with issue templates.

9. Include .NET Version in bug report templates — .NET version is critical for reproducing bugs. Use dotnet --version output as the expected format. Include OS as a dropdown since behavior often varies across platforms.

10. Mermaid diagrams in README render natively on GitHub — no special configuration is needed. Use standard fenced code blocks with the mermaid language identifier. See [skill:dotnet-mermaid-diagrams] for .NET-specific diagram patterns to embed in architecture sections.