1 files changed, 72 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31015e91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Haddock, a Haskell Documentation Tool
+
+
+#### About haddock
+
+This is Haddock, a tool for automatically generating documentation
+from annotated Haskell source code.  It is primary intended for
+documenting library interfaces, but it should be useful for any kind
+of Haskell code.
+
+Haddock lets you write documentation annotations next to the
+definitions of functions and types in the source code, in a syntax
+that is easy on the eye when writing the source code (no heavyweight
+mark-up). The documentation generated by Haddock is fully hyperlinked
+- click on a type name in a type signature to go straight to the
+definition, and documentation, for that type.
+
+Haddock understands Haskell's module system, so you can structure your
+code however you like without worrying that internal structure will be
+exposed in the generated documentation.  For example, it is common to
+implement a library in several modules, but define the external API by
+having a single module which re-exports parts of these implementation
+modules.  Using Haddock, you can still write documentation annotations
+next to the actual definitions of the functions and types in the
+library, but the documentation annotations from the implementation
+will be propagated to the external API when the documentation is
+generated.  Abstract types and classes are handled correctly.  In
+fact, even without any documentation annotations, Haddock can generate
+useful documentation from your source code.
+
+
+#### Documentation formats
+
+Haddock can generate documentation in multiple formats; currently HTML
+is implemented, and there is partial support for generating LaTeX and
+Hoogle.
+
+
+#### Source code documentation
+
+Full documentation can be found in the doc/ subdirectory, in DocBook
+format.
+
+
+#### Contributing
+
+Please create issues when you have any problems and pull requests if you have some code.
+
+###### Hacking
+
+To get started you'll need a latest GHC release installed. Below is an
+example setup using cabal sandboxes.
+
+```bash
+  git clone https://github.com/haskell/haddock.git
+  cd haddock
+  cabal sandbox init
+  cabal sandbox add-source haddock-library
+  cabal sandbox add-source haddock-api
+  # adjust -j to the number of cores you want to use
+  cabal install -j4 --dependencies-only --enable-tests
+  cabal configure --enable-tests
+  cabal build -j4
+  # run the test suite
+  cabal test
+```
+
+If you're a GHC developer and want to update Haddock to work with your
+changes, you should be working on `ghc-head` branch instead of master.
+See instructions at
+https://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/wiki/WorkingConventions/Git/Submodules
+for an example workflow.