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GitHub • Markdown • ASCII Art

How to Use ASCII Art in README Files (GitHub Formatting Tips)

ASCII art in a README can make a project feel instantly recognizable—especially for CLI tools, retro dev vibes, or terminal-first products. The trick is making it reliable: GitHub Markdown wraps text, changes fonts, and can ruin alignment.

Generate ASCII art locally

Convert an image to ASCII (no uploads): ASCII Art tool.

The one rule: always use a code fence

In GitHub Markdown, alignment depends on a monospace font. Wrap ASCII art inside triple backticks so spacing is preserved and wrapping is minimized:

```
YOUR ASCII ART HERE
```

Pick a safe width (and why 80 columns still matters)

Most terminals and many README layouts assume ~80 columns. If your banner is wider, mobile readers will get horizontal scrolling or forced wrapping.

  • 40–60 columns: best for mobile + sidebars
  • 70–90 columns: best “classic terminal” default
  • 100+ columns: use only if you know your audience is desktop-only

In our generator, start at Width = 80 and adjust until the art looks crisp without being too wide.

Use the right character set for the job

  • Standard: good general-purpose; works everywhere.
  • Detailed: best for portraits/logos; heavier visual density.
  • Blocks / Dots: best for strong silhouettes and retro UI.

If the output looks muddy, reduce width or increase contrast. If it looks “too bright,” try invert.

Make it look good on GitHub

Tip: add a short title above the art

Readers should know what they’re looking at—especially if it’s just a logo.

Tip: don’t rely on color

README renderers vary. Keep the art readable as plain text.

Tip: use a collapsible section if it’s large

<details>
<summary>Show banner</summary>

```
ASCII ART
```

</details>

Workflow: from image → ASCII → README

  1. Open the ASCII Art tool and upload a logo (PNG with transparent background works great).
  2. Set width to ~80, bump contrast, and try a few styles.
  3. Copy the ASCII output.
  4. Paste into your README inside a code fence.
  5. Preview on GitHub, then iterate.

Bonus: keep diffs readable when you update your banner

ASCII art changes can create giant diffs. If you’re iterating frequently, compare versions before committing so you understand what changed.

Compare two ASCII banners with CompareTexts →