commit 6a7777502c8bdde942bbe2a2c5c52714f15551d1
from: Evan Burkey <evan@burkey.co>
date: Sun Mar 15 06:00:30 2026 UTC

Rewrite README with professional language and link to new docs

commit - 818e19c53dc9d8cf303ea4f1848c35c2079c4916
commit + 6a7777502c8bdde942bbe2a2c5c52714f15551d1
blob - 0d2db45523b91c80ac392c4ce59008226b77fcbf
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--- README.md
+++ README.md
@@ -1,14 +1,30 @@
 # spitwad
 
-Originally conceived as a joke between some friends after we laughed about how it would be better to use WADs to send data
-between applications then JSON, because JSON is stupid and wasteful. `spitwad` is a library for interacting with WAD
-files, popularized by ID games like DOOM and Quake. You can use it in your DOOM clone, or to package your data and
-send it over a network as a WAD. Why? Why not!
+A C library for reading, writing, and manipulating WAD files. The [WAD format](https://burkey.co/Software+Documentation/spitwad/WAD+Format) was created by id Software for DOOM and has since become a staple of game modding. spitwad treats WADs as a general-purpose archive format — use it for your DOOM clone, or package arbitrary data and send it over a network.
 
+## Quick Start
+
+```bash
+cmake -B build
+cmake --build build
+```
+
+```c
+#include "spitwad.h"
+
+struct WAD wad;
+wad_init(&wad, PWAD);
+wad_add_lump(&wad, "GREETING", (const unsigned char *)"hello", 5);
+wad_write_file(&wad, "hello.wad");
+wad_destroy(&wad);
+```
+
 ## Requirements
 
-Should work on any POSIX platform out of the box
+- CMake 3.22+
+- C99 compiler
+- Any POSIX platform (Linux, macOS, BSD)
 
-## Usage
+## Documentation
 
-Docs are a work in progress!
+Full API reference and format documentation: [burkey.co/Software Documentation/spitwad](https://burkey.co/Software+Documentation/spitwad/spitwad)