Update and Complete Repository README File with Comprehensive Documentation

[Copilot]

Overview

This PR transforms the repository README from a basic outline into comprehensive, user-friendly documentation covering all workflow templates and their usage.

Changes

Documentation Expansion

The README has been significantly expanded from 121 lines to 690 lines, providing complete coverage of all workflows and templates in the repository.

Added Content

Repository Information

• Added badges for license and GitHub Actions
• Enhanced repository description with clear explanation of purpose and features
• Added comprehensive table of contents with 30+ sections for easy navigation

Prerequisites & Setup

• Documented all prerequisites and dependencies
• Added common secrets documentation (e.g., FETCH_TOKEN)
• Included quick start guide with example usage for immediate onboarding

Main Workflow Templates - Complete documentation for 5 workflows:

• build-dotnet-fast.yml - Fast single-pass CI for quick feedback
• build-dotnet-single.yml - Comprehensive single-OS CI/CD pipeline
• build-dotnet-matrix.yml - Multi-OS testing across Windows, Linux, and macOS
• cicd-dotnet.yml - Marked as deprecated with explanation
• publish-nuget.yml - NuGet publishing with manual approval via GitHub Environments

Step Templates - Detailed documentation for 8 reusable job templates:

• step-node-commitlint.yml - Commit message validation
• step-dotnet-version.yml - GitVersion-based version detection
• step-dotnet-format.yml - CSharpier code formatting validation
• step-dotnet-build.yml - Solution building with artifact publishing
• step-dotnet-tests.yml - Testing with coverage reporting and Codecov integration
• step-dotnet-draft-release.yml - Automated release drafting with Release Drafter
• step-dotnet-publish-nuget.yml - NuGet package publishing step
• step-dependabot-merge.yml - Automated Dependabot PR merging

Each workflow and template now includes:

• Clear description of features and use cases
• Complete usage examples with correct YAML syntax
• Parameter tables with descriptions, required/optional flags, and default values
• Secrets documentation with requirements
• Output documentation where applicable
• Prerequisites and requirements

Usage Examples

• Basic CI/CD pipeline setup
• Multi-OS testing configuration
• Custom pipeline composition using individual step templates
• NuGet publishing workflow with manual approval

Additional Sections

• Contributing guidelines with best practices
• Enhanced license information
• Links to supporting documentation (Manual Approval Setup Guide)

Corrections & Improvements

Accuracy

• Corrected parameter names to match actual workflow implementations (e.g., workflowName instead of the incorrect source-workflow-name)
• Aligned parameter requirements with actual workflow YAML definitions
• Fixed usage examples to use secrets: inherit instead of the incorrect secrets: inherits

Clarity

• Added explanatory notes for parameters with default values
• Included helpful guidance about legacy workflow references (e.g., ci-dotnet.yml) and recommended alternatives
• Clarified which parameters are truly required vs. optional with defaults

Structure

• Organized content with logical sections and consistent formatting
• Used tables for parameter documentation for better readability
• Added code blocks with proper syntax highlighting

Impact

Users can now:

• Quickly understand the purpose and capabilities of each workflow template
• Easily find relevant workflows for their use cases
• Copy working examples directly into their projects
• Understand all available parameters and configuration options
• Follow best practices for workflow composition

This comprehensive documentation significantly reduces the learning curve and makes it easier for teams to adopt and correctly utilize the pipeline templates.

Related

Closes #[issue-number]

Original prompt

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This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Update and Complete Repository README File</issue_title>
<issue_description>## Description
Comprehensive update and completion of the repository README file. The README should provide complete documentation about the repository's purpose, structure, and usage.

Objectives

• Update existing content to reflect current state of the repository
• Add comprehensive documentation for all pipeline templates
• Include usage examples for common scenarios
• Document prerequisites and dependencies
• Improve structure and readability of the README

Implementation Details

• Review current README and identify gaps
• Document all available pipeline templates with their parameters
• Add clear examples showing how to reference and use the templates
• Create a consistent format throughout the document
• Include badges for build status and other relevant metrics

Expected Outcome

A fully qualified README file that serves as comprehensive documentation for the repository, making it easier for users to understand and utilize the pipeline templates correctly.</issue_description>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

Fixes #284

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