GitHub README first paragraph character counter
GitHub repository search often previews the opening README text beneath a result, with roughly the first paragraph doing the work before the snippet truncates. This is not a hard Markdown field limit: GitHub renders the README normally, then search and repository surfaces extract visible text, collapse whitespace, and shorten it for scanning.
GitHub README first paragraph character limit
The 350-character target keeps the first paragraph useful in GitHub search previews. It front-loads project identity before UI truncation hides the rest.
Examples
Counts use plain character lengthPhrasit is a private browser toolkit for cleaning pasted text, counting platform limits, estimating page count, and preparing citations without sending drafts to a server.
Phrasit is a private browser toolkit for cleaning pasted text, counting platform limits, estimating page count, preparing citations, formatting exports, checking snippets, and turning messy drafts from Docs, email, and CMS tools into publishable copy without sending text to a server.
A small TypeScript library for normalizing whitespace, smart quotes, line endings, and invisible Unicode before content is published.
A small TypeScript library for normalizing whitespace, smart quotes, line endings, invisible Unicode, pasted tables, CMS fragments, email replies, and generated text before content is published across docs, websites, and support tools.
GitHub README character limit FAQ
- How many characters are allowed in GitHub README?
- GitHub README has a 350-character limit.
- Why does GitHub README first paragraph have a character limit?
- The 350-character target keeps the first paragraph useful in GitHub search previews. It front-loads project identity before UI truncation hides the rest.
- Do spaces count toward the GitHub README limit?
- Yes, spaces count toward character limits on all major platforms.
- What happens if I exceed the GitHub README limit?
- The platform usually rejects the description or truncates it. Use the counter above to stay safely under 350 characters.