1 files changed, 62 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..802751f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Bash-Lib
+
+A simple bash library for your scripting needs
+
+## Usage
+
+Just `source` it at the start of your script.
+
+It will provide you with some useful logging functions, and make your script
+use [Bash's unofficial strict mode][strict-mode].
+
+[strict-mode]: <http://redsymbol.net/articles/unofficial-bash-strict-mode/>
+
+If you want your bash script to continue even in the event of errors, you can
+put `set +e` after sourcing bash-lib.
+
+## Logging
+
+Bash-lib provides the usual `trace`, `debug`, `info`, `warn`, and `error`
+logging functions. By default, `trace` and `debug` messages are not shown, set
+the `BASH_LOG` variable to `1` or `2` to increase the verbosity.
+
+You can also set the `BASH_LIB_NAME` variable to influence the verbosity
+variable name. For example, `BASH_LIB_NAME=DEMO` will make bash-lib look for
+the `DEMO_LOG` variable for logging verbosity.
+
+The `fatal` functions is like `error`, but will `exit` the program with status
+1.
+
+The `critical` functions is like `error`, but will actually return with an
+error. This is useful if you want to handle your errors with traps. See the
+[demo](./demo.sh) for an example usage.
+
+## Provided functions
+
+- `echoe`: like `echo` but redirected to `stderr`
+- `trace`: log a trace message
+- `debug`: log a debugging message
+- `info`: log an information message
+- `warn`: log a warning message
+- `error`: log an error message
+- `fatal`: log an error message and `exit 1`
+- `critical`: log an error message and return with an error
+- `is_debug`: succeeds if debugging messages are enabled
+- `is_trace`: succeeds if trace messages are enabled
+
+## Provided variables
+
+### Escape codes
+
+- `${NORMAL}`: reset the styling
+- `${BOLD}`
+
+Foreground colors:
+
+- `${RED}`
+- `${GREEN}`
+- `${YELLOW}`
+- `${BLUE}`
+- `${PURPLE}`
+- `${CYAN}`
+- `${WHITE}`