3.5 Author a README at Creation Time

Capability summary

Every project-scope and run-scope creation always produces a README.md carrying at minimum the mandatory core fields (label, operator, objective). There is no client-level skip path. The field set is a four-layer merge – core fields, template-declared fields (from copier.yml), config-declared fields (from config.yaml readme.defaults), and system-supplied fields. The operator fills in editable values (and may add custom fields), the controller validates core + extended-required fields, and ReadmeGenerator writes the output as YAML front matter plus Markdown prose to the created directory root, with readme_fields.json mirrored into the .exlab-wizard/ cache. See section 02 §3.5 for the authoritative contract.

Walkthrough

The README form is a sub-step of the project wizard (3.1 Create a New Project) and the run wizards (3.2 Create a New Experimental Run, 3.3 Create a New Test Run). It is not a standalone surface; the screenshot below shows the project wizard with the README step active.

1. Reach the README step. From inside the active wizard, navigate to the README step on the stepper.

2. Fill the merged field set. Core fields are always present and always required. Template- and config-declared fields appear in their configured order. The operator may add custom fields alongside the merged set.

3. Continue. The Next button advances to the preview step; on submit, ReadmeGenerator writes the file.

Screenshots

Related material

• 3.1 Create a New Project, 3.2 Create a New Experimental Run, 3.3 Create a New Test Run – the host wizards.

• Design spec section 10 (README Generation) – the merge order, the output format, and the rendering contract.

• Design spec section 11 §11.4 (readme_fields.json) – the cached field set used for re-rendering.