MD ReaderHow to read a README.md file on Android
README.md is the file that explains a software project: what it does, how to install it, how to use it. It's written in markdown, so on a phone it either opens as raw text or doesn't open at all.
README files on GitHub
If the project is on GitHub, the GitHub website already shows the README formatted. Just open the repository page in your browser. You only need a viewer when you have the file itself, for example:
- You downloaded a project as a zip
- Someone sent you the README
- The project is on a server or drive that shows files as raw text
- You want to read it offline, on a train or a plane
Open a README.md on Android
- Install a markdown viewer. We use MD Reader.
- Open Files, find
README.md, tap it, and choose MD Reader. - Or open MD Reader, tap Open file, and pick the README.
From a zip file: Android's Files app (Files by Google) can extract zip files. Tap the zip, choose Extract, then open README.md from the extracted folder.
From a raw link: If you open a raw README link in your browser, it shows plain text. Long-press, Select all, Copy, then use Paste from clipboard in MD Reader.
What you'll see
READMEs use more formatting than most documents. MD Reader shows:
- Code blocks with syntax highlighting and one-tap copy, handy for install commands. See reading code blocks on your phone.
- Tables of options and flags, scrolling sideways when they're wide.
- Task lists of roadmap items.
- Mermaid diagrams of the architecture. See Mermaid on Android.
- Callouts such as
> [!WARNING]. - A table of contents built from the headings, so you can jump straight to "Installation".
About links and images
Links to websites open in your browser. Links to other files in the project (like docs/setup.md) need the whole folder, so open those files separately for now. Images that point to the web need internet to load. MD Reader doesn't request internet access, so remote images won't load. The text around them still reads fine.