The easiest way to generate
beautiful and accurate READMEs
Dokugen automatically scans your codebase and generates clear, professional, and up-to-date README files in seconds. Save hours of writing documentation and keep your project README perfectly synced as your code changes.
Getting Started
Method 1: Node.js
Install globally via npm, yarn, or pnpm if you have Node.js installed.
or: pnpm add -g dokugen@latest
Method 2: Python
Install via uv (recommended) or pip. The Python client is fully featured and production-ready.
or: pip install dokugen
2. Install Globally
Install Dokugen globally once, and use it forever across any project on your machine:
3. Navigate to Project
Open your terminal and navigate to your project directory:
4. Launch Interactive Menu
Run the CLI command without arguments to open the interactive assistant:
5. Customize
Edit the generated README.md file to check the final output.
Features
System Design Diagrams
Setting up architecture diagrams by hand is tedious and they go out of date instantly. Dokugen draws beautiful system design diagrams directly inside your docs when you generate a README. It is fully included in the main command! The layout colors each piece of your stack (like Redis in red or Postgres in blue) and organizes them so they look great.
Smart Updates
Regenerating docs often overwrites your manual edits and custom styles. With Smart Updates, you can refresh your README without losing any of your custom text. Dokugen only updates the automatic parts (like files and tech stack), keeping your custom notes and badges completely safe.
Quality Commit Messages
Writing good commit messages is boring and easy to neglect. Run dokugen aic to check your staged changes and write clean conventional commit messages in seconds. You can even choose to push automatically.
License Generation
Your open-source project should not be pushed unlicensed. Anyone can do whatever they want with your code. Create a LICENSE file in seconds with dokugen license. It automatically finds the right author name and year from git, and gives you a plain English summary of what the license permits.
Zero-Config Experience
Setting up API keys and accounts is a hassle when you just want to get started. With Dokugen, there are no API keys to copy-paste or set up. It works right out of the box using our shared keys.
Incremental Scanning
Scanning the entire codebase every time is slow and wastes bandwidth. Save time by only scanning what changed. Dokugen keeps track of your files using a local cache so updates finish in seconds.
Custom Templates
Making READMEs look consistent across different projects is hard. Copy the structure of any README you like. Use the `--template` flag with any public repository's URL to replicate its style.
Interactive Prompt
Remembering CLI syntax flags and subcommands is annoying. Just type dokugen to open a friendly, step-by-step menu in your terminal that guides you through everything.
FAQs
How do I install Dokugen?
Node.js: Run npm install -g dokugen to install Dokugen globally.
Python: Run pip install dokugen or uv tool install dokugen.
Can I use custom templates?
Yes. Use the --template flag to specify a custom template URL.
Example: docs --template https://raw.github.../README.md
Can I auto generate my readme using the --live flag?
Coming Soon. You will be able to use the --live flag to watch and auto-generate your README in upcoming Dokugen versions.
How does the AI Commit subcommand work?
Running dokugen aic automatically stages your files, scans the staged git diff, generates a clean Conventional Commit message using Gemini, commits the changes, and optionally pushes them to your remote repository.
Does Dokugen read my .env files or sensitive API keys?
Absolutely not. Dokugen is built with strict privacy and security filters. It automatically ignores all environment variable files (like .env, .env.local, etc.), package manager lockfiles, logs, compiled binaries/bytecode, local config files, and private credentials. None of your sensitive credentials, environment keys, or token secrets are ever read or transmitted.
Does Dokugen require my own API keys?
No. Dokugen offers a zero-config experience. The CLI communicates with our secure backend transparently using shared API keys. However, if you hit rate limits, you can easily configure your own API key in your profile configuration.
What is the license generation feature?
By running dokugen license you can instantly output project license files. The command automatically detects your Git author details and the current year, and provides a clear English explanation of the permissions.
How do the colorized flowcharts work?
Dokugen automatically detects your project's technology stack and builds beautiful system flowcharts/diagrams directly inside your markdown. The engine maps colors to specific technologies (e.g. Postgres is blue, Redis is red) and dynamically chooses the layout direction (top-down, left-to-right) for the best fit.
What is the smart update command?
Using dokugen update performs an incremental scan using a local cache to update only the auto-detected parts (files, features, tech stack) of your README, leaving your custom descriptions, notes, and manually added badges perfectly safe.
Dokugen in Action
Dokugen is an open-source project. If you find it useful, consider contributing to the repository or supporting the developers.
Support the Project
Dokugen is completely free. Consider sponsoring or tipping the developers!
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