How to Add ASCII Art to Your GitHub README
ASCII art adds personality and visual structure to GitHub README files without requiring images. It renders consistently in any Markdown viewer and contributes to your repository's character.
Section headers: Use ASCII art text banners to create visually distinct section dividers. A 5-line banner spelling "INSTALLATION" or "USAGE" draws the eye and organizes long READMEs better than plain Markdown headings alone.
Formatting for GitHub: Wrap ASCII art in a code block using triple backticks to preserve monospaced rendering. Without a code block, GitHub's proportional font will misalign the characters. Optionally specify the language as empty: just use ` on its own line.
Placement: Place ASCII art headers above their corresponding Markdown sections. Keep the art compact — 3–7 lines tall is ideal. Overly large ASCII art pushes actual content too far down the page and may annoy readers.
Repository logo: Some developers use image-to-ASCII art conversion to create a text-based logo of their project's icon or their profile picture. This gives the README a unique visual identity that survives in plain-text mirrors and terminal-based Git browsers.
Accessibility note: ASCII art is inherently inaccessible — it is a visual medium. Always include plain-text headings alongside ASCII art so screen reader users can navigate your README. The ASCII art should supplement, not replace, semantic Markdown headings.
Use Tooler's Text to ASCII Art generator to create banners, and paste them in code blocks in your README.