docs: improve README layout and clarify web app focus

- Add license and Go Report badges
- Add resource links section (docs, discussions)
- Clarify Gordon is for web apps (HTTP reverse proxy)
- Restructure header inspired by Vault README style
- Replace vague tagline with specific description

commit: b5a29f1f7dbab0687a63ed28f99ef4465711d75e
author: brice · 9mo ago · 2026-01-12 17:17 UTC
committer: brice · 9mo ago · 2026-01-12 18:40 UTC
parent: 27908bb
signature: unsigned

1 file · +17 -19

M README.md +17 -19

@@ -1,34 +1,32 @@
1	1		# Gordon
2	2
3		-	Your VPS already runs Docker. Gordon makes it deploy on push.
	3	+	[![License: GPL-3.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPL%203.0-blue.svg)](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0)
	4	+	[![Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/bnema/gordon)](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/bnema/gordon)
4	5
5		-	```bash
6		-	docker build -t myapp .
7		-	docker push registry.your-server.com/myapp:latest
8		-	# Live at https://app.your-server.com
9		-	```
	6	+	Self-hosted web app deployments. Push to your registry, Gordon does the rest.
10	7
11		-	> docker push → live in production. From your laptop or CI. Your choice.
	8	+	- Website: https://github.com/bnema/gordon
	9	+	- Documentation: [Configuration](examples/) \| [Setup Guide](#detailed-setup-guide-podman-rootless-mode)
	10	+	- Discuss: [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/bnema/gordon/discussions)
12	11
13		-	Gordon combines a private container registry with a reverse proxy. Push an image, it deploys. Handles multiple domains, zero downtime updates, persistent volumes, and environment merging. Single binary, ~15MB RAM.
	12	+	---
14	13
15		-	## How It Works
	14	+	Gordon is a private container registry + HTTP reverse proxy for your VPS. Push a container image exposing a web port, it deploys automatically with zero downtime.
16	15
17	16		```bash
18		-	# 1. Build & test locally (Docker or Podman)
19	17		docker build -t myapp .
20		-	docker run -p 8080:8080 myapp # Works? Great!
21		-
22		-	# 2. Push to deploy
23		-	docker tag myapp registry.mydomain.com/myapp:latest
24		-	docker push registry.mydomain.com/myapp:latest
25		-
26		-	# 3. That's it. Gordon handles the rest.
	18	+	docker push registry.your-server.com/myapp:latest
	19	+	# → Live at https://app.your-server.com
27	20		```
28	21
29		-	> Note: All examples use `docker` commands, but `podman` works as a drop-in replacement. Just substitute `docker` with `podman` in any command.
	22	+	Build on your machine, push to deploy. Works from your laptop or CI.
30	23
31		-	Your machine is the build server. If it runs locally, it runs in production.
	24	+	What it does:
	25	+	- Runs a private Docker registry on your VPS
	26	+	- Routes domains to containers via HTTP reverse proxy
	27	+	- Deploys automatically when you push a new image
	28	+	- Zero downtime updates, persistent volumes, environment merging
	29	+	- Single binary, ~15MB RAM
32	30
33	31		## Quick Start (5 minutes)
34	32

@@ -1,34 +1,32 @@
1		# Gordon	1		# Gordon
2			2
3	-	Your VPS already runs Docker. Gordon makes it deploy on push.	3	+	[![License: GPL-3.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPL%203.0-blue.svg)](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0)
			4	+	[![Go Report Card](https://goreportcard.com/badge/github.com/bnema/gordon)](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/bnema/gordon)
4			5
5	-	```bash	6	+	Self-hosted web app deployments. Push to your registry, Gordon does the rest.
6	-	docker build -t myapp .
7	-	docker push registry.your-server.com/myapp:latest
8	-	# Live at https://app.your-server.com
9	-	```
10			7
11	-	> docker push → live in production. From your laptop or CI. Your choice.	8	+	- Website: https://github.com/bnema/gordon
			9	+	- Documentation: [Configuration](examples/) \| [Setup Guide](#detailed-setup-guide-podman-rootless-mode)
			10	+	- Discuss: [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/bnema/gordon/discussions)
12			11
13	-	Gordon combines a private container registry with a reverse proxy. Push an image, it deploys. Handles multiple domains, zero downtime updates, persistent volumes, and environment merging. Single binary, ~15MB RAM.	12	+	---
14			13
15	-	## How It Works	14	+	Gordon is a private container registry + HTTP reverse proxy for your VPS. Push a container image exposing a web port, it deploys automatically with zero downtime.
16			15
17		```bash	16		```bash
18	-	# 1. Build & test locally (Docker or Podman)
19		docker build -t myapp .	17		docker build -t myapp .
20	-	docker run -p 8080:8080 myapp # Works? Great!	18	+	docker push registry.your-server.com/myapp:latest
21	-		19	+	# → Live at https://app.your-server.com
22	-	# 2. Push to deploy
23	-	docker tag myapp registry.mydomain.com/myapp:latest
24	-	docker push registry.mydomain.com/myapp:latest
25	-
26	-	# 3. That's it. Gordon handles the rest.
27		```	20		```
28			21
29	-	> Note: All examples use `docker` commands, but `podman` works as a drop-in replacement. Just substitute `docker` with `podman` in any command.	22	+	Build on your machine, push to deploy. Works from your laptop or CI.
30			23
31	-	Your machine is the build server. If it runs locally, it runs in production.	24	+	What it does:
			25	+	- Runs a private Docker registry on your VPS
			26	+	- Routes domains to containers via HTTP reverse proxy
			27	+	- Deploys automatically when you push a new image
			28	+	- Zero downtime updates, persistent volumes, environment merging
			29	+	- Single binary, ~15MB RAM
32			30
33		## Quick Start (5 minutes)	31		## Quick Start (5 minutes)
34			32