diff --git a/cookiecutter.json b/cookiecutter.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d354ae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookiecutter.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "maintainer_name": "Simon Billinge",
+  "maintainer_email": "sb2896@columbia.edu",
+  "maintainer_github_username": "sbillinge",
+  "contributors": "Rundong Hua, Simon Billinge, Billinge Group members",
+  "license_holders": "The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York",
+  "project_name": "diffpy.srxplanargui",
+  "github_username_or_orgname": "diffpy",
+  "github_repo_name": "diffpy.srxplanargui",
+  "conda_pypi_package_dist_name": "diffpy.srxplanargui",
+  "package_dir_name": "diffpy.srxplanargui",
+  "project_short_description": "xPDFsuite, a software for PDF transformation and visualization.",
+  "project_keywords": "diffpy, pdf, data interpretation",
+  "minimum_supported_python_version": "3.11",
+  "maximum_supported_python_version": "3.13",
+  "project_needs_c_code_compiled": "No",
+  "project_has_gui_tests": "No"
+}
diff --git a/news/cookiecutter.rst b/news/cookiecutter.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f69bbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/cookiecutter.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* no news needed: add cookiecutter.json.
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>