# README Standards · DOC-04

## Standard Metadata

- Area: Documentation
- Owner: Technical Leadership group
- Last reviewed: 2026-09-09
- Next review due from: 2026-12-01
- Enforcement: Code review
- Status: Active

## README files must contain a title and introduction to detail the purpose of the repository · DOC-04.1 · **MUST** · **DEV/TEST**

## README files must document the technologies used within the repository · DOC-04.2 · **MUST** · **DEV/TEST**

The main technologies used and any pre-requisite software that must be installed must be listed in the README: for example .NET 10, Node.js 20, Playwright.

## README files must document how to use the repository locally · DOC-04.3 · **MUST**  · **DEV/TEST**

### Application Code

1. Document any required installs, such as SSL Certificates
1. Document any configuration files such as `appsettings.Development.json` or `nuget.config`
1. Document how to setup local development, including any local databases
1. Document how to run the application locally, explaining any npm scripts and any command-line options or parameters that must be provided
1. Document any additional applications (such as IDEs, or IDE extensions/plugins) which are needed for debugging etc.

### Automated Tests

1. Document any required installs
1. Document any credentials required to run the tests and the file they should be added to. For example, contributors should populate the `.env` file from the Playwright Tests record in Keeper.
1. Document how to run the tests locally, explaining any npm scripts and any command-line options or parameters that must be provided
1. Document any additional applications which may be used. For example, Playwright Test for VSCode by Microsoft.