elastic / elastic/semantic-code-search-indexer
Refactor README.md into an approachable Getting Started guide
- Dominant language
- TypeScript
- Stars
- 19
- Forks
- 10
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Description
## Summary
Refactor the README.md into an approachable "Getting Started" guide focused on the Docker workflow. Move detailed/dense content into `docs/` to create a user manual structure, keeping the README as the front door for humans arriving from blog posts.
## Problem
The current README is dense and comprehensive but not approachable. A developer arriving from a blog post should be able to go from zero to indexed repo in minutes. Right now the README has a lot of valuable content but it's hard to find the quick path through it.
## Proposed Approach
### README.md — The front door
- **Focus on the Docker flow** as the easiest path to get started
- Clear, linear steps: set up Elasticsearch → run the Docker image → verify it worked
- Minimal prerequisites, minimal decisions
- Link out to `docs/` for everything else (configuration reference, local dev setup, architecture, advanced options)
### `docs/` — The user manual
- Move existing detailed content from README into organized docs:
- Configuration reference
- Local development setup (Node.js flow)
- Architecture / how it works
- Advanced options (incremental indexing, watch mode, multi-repo, etc.)
- Troubleshooting / FAQ
- The implementer has latitude to decide how much restructuring vs. new content is needed — the goal is approachability, not completeness
### Scope boundaries
- Focus on Docker as the primary getting-started path
- Keep independent from elastic/semantic-code-search#18 (agentic interfaces CLI) and elastic/semantic-code-search#19 (index naming) — those can be added to the guide later
- Existing content is valuable — restructure and resurface it, don't throw it away
## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] README.md is a concise getting-started guide focused on the Docker workflow
- [ ] A new developer can go from zero to indexed repo by following the README linearly
- [ ] Dense/detailed content moved to `docs/` with clear linking from README
- [ ] No valuable existing content lost — restructured, not deleted
Contributor guide
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Assessment
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