First README.llm vNext documentation set

This tutorial shows the smallest credible README.llm vNext adoption path: start with one existing README.llm file, add a manifest, split out one focused supporting document, and publish the resulting set.

Starting point

You already have:

• a library or tool with stable behavior
• a single README.llm or equivalent structured document
• one topic that is large enough to deserve its own file

Step 1: Keep the README.llm file as the entry point

Do not replace the base file. The tutorial assumes README.llm remains the primary orientation artifact for both people and retrieval systems.

Step 2: Add llm-index.json

Publish a manifest that lists the entry point and the supporting document you are about to create. This gives retrieval systems a deterministic place to start.

Step 3: Split out one focused support document

Move one coherent topic into its own file. Good first candidates are a command reference, a behavioral contract page, or a quickstart recipe set.

Step 4: Add document-level metadata

Start the supporting file with the metadata header so agents can inspect the file cheaply before loading the full content.

Step 5: Publish and validate

Validate the manifest against the published schema, confirm paths resolve, and check that the documentation set can be navigated without reading the entire corpus.

Result

You now have a minimal multi-file documentation set that is still simple enough to maintain, but already much easier for retrieval-driven systems to consume.