docs(readme): Overhaul for clarity and user experience

[LyalinDotCom]

TLDR

This pull request is a comprehensive overhaul of the main README.md file. It refactors the entire document for better clarity, structure, and user guidance, transforming it into a more professional and welcoming entry point for the project.

Key changes include adding dedicated sections for "Why Gemini CLI?" and "Key Features," organizing installation and authentication into clear, benefit-driven options, and creating a full documentation hub. This is a documentation-only change and does not affect any code functionality.

This resolves #5821

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Dive Deeper

The previous README.md was a simple, flat document that lacked the structure needed to effectively onboard new users or showcase the power of the CLI. This update addresses that by introducing several key improvements:

• Value-First Approach: The new "Why Gemini CLI?" and "Key Features" sections immediately communicate the core benefits and capabilities to a potential user, helping them understand the tool's purpose at a glance.
• Guided Onboarding: Authentication and installation instructions are now presented as clear, distinct options with "Best for:" recommendations. This helps users choose the correct path for their specific needs (e.g., individual developer vs. enterprise team) instead of just presenting a list of commands.
• Visual Polish: The addition of a product screenshot and standard repository badges (CI, NPM version, License) gives the project a more mature and trustworthy appearance.
• Centralized Documentation: The old "Next steps" list has been replaced with a comprehensive, categorized documentation tree. This acts as a central hub, making it significantly easier for users to find detailed information on any topic without leaving the README.

Overall, these changes aim to reduce user friction, improve the developer experience, and better represent the quality of the Gemini CLI tool itself.

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Reviewer Test Plan

Since this is a documentation-only change, validation is visual.

1. Pull down this branch.
2. Review the README.md file in a markdown previewer or directly in the GitHub "Files changed" tab.
3. Check for the following:
   • Clarity and Readability: Is the new structure easier to follow than the old one?
   • Formatting: Are headings, lists, code blocks, and links rendering correctly?
   • Accuracy: Is all the information presented factually correct?
   • Link Integrity: Click through a few links in the new documentation section to ensure they point to the correct files within the repository.

No CLI testing is necessary, as no code pathways have been altered.

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Testing Matrix

This is a documentation-only change, so the runtime testing matrix is not applicable.

	🍏	🪟	🐧
npm run	-	-	-
npx	-	-	-
Docker	-	-	-
Podman	-	-	-
Seatbelt	-	-	-

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Linked issues / bugs

#5821

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[gemini-code-assist]

Summary of Changes

Hello @LyalinDotCom, I'm Gemini Code Assist¹! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

I've undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of the main README.md file to significantly enhance its clarity, structure, and overall user experience. The primary goal is to transform it into a more professional and welcoming entry point for the project, making it easier for new and existing users to understand the Gemini CLI's purpose, features, and how to get started. This change is purely documentation-focused and does not introduce any modifications to the project's code functionality.

Highlights

• Comprehensive README Overhaul: The README.md has been completely restructured to improve clarity, flow, and user guidance, making it a more professional and welcoming entry point for the project.
• Value-First Content Introduction: New sections like 'Why Gemini CLI?' and 'Key Features' have been added to immediately communicate the core benefits and capabilities of the tool.
• Improved Onboarding Experience: Installation and authentication instructions are now presented as clear, distinct options with 'Best for:' recommendations, simplifying the onboarding process for different user needs.
• Centralized Documentation Hub: The old 'Next steps' list has been replaced with a comprehensive, categorized 'Documentation' hub, centralizing information and making it easier for users to find detailed guides.
• Enhanced GitHub Workflow Integration: The README.md now includes a 'GitHub Integration' section, highlighting the Gemini CLI GitHub Action for automated PR reviews, issue triage, and on-demand assistance.

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[gemini-code-assist]

Code Review

This is an excellent and comprehensive overhaul of the README.md file. The new structure is much clearer, more professional, and provides a significantly better onboarding experience for new users. The addition of sections like 'Why Gemini CLI?' and the detailed documentation hub are fantastic improvements. I've found a couple of minor formatting issues in the code examples that break rendering, which I've detailed below. Once those are fixed, this will be a perfect update.

[LyalinDotCom]

Note I specifically removed "Popular tasks" section as I don't think it adds a lot of value, having links to the docs there seems more important. I also really want the doc links as going into the docs folders is annoying, I think others will enjoy it too

[LyalinDotCom]

Thanks for your pull request! It looks like this may be your first contribution to a Google open source project. Before we can look at your pull request, you'll need to sign a Contributor License Agreement (CLA).

View this failed invocation of the CLA check for more information.

For the most up to date status, view the checks section at the bottom of the pull request.

resolved

[srithreepo]

I recommend moving the Installation section above the Key features for easy accessibility.

The new flow would be Why Gemini CLI, Installation, Key Features. Other than that this looks great !

[LyalinDotCom]

I recommend moving the Installation section above the Key features for easy accessibility.

The new flow would be Why Gemini CLI, Installation, Key Features. Other than that this looks great !

I've made the change

[srithreepo]

This approach applies to both Individual developers and Developers with existing Gemini Code Assist Licenses.

[jkcinouye]

In the interest of expediency, I think this can be put through as-is and I can do a fast-follow PR for style and consistency. There is only one major callout, which is that the current description for the "gemini ignore" page/feature is incorrect (I noted where this happens).

[LyalinDotCom]

@NTaylorMullen I think this is ready for final merge?