diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3582223
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# banger
+
+Minimal Firecracker launcher.
+
+## Requirements
+- Linux host with KVM (`/dev/kvm` access)
+- `sudo`, `ip`, `curl`, `ssh`
+
+## Files
+- `firecracker`: Firecracker binary
+- `vmlinux`: guest kernel
+- `rootfs.ext4`: guest root filesystem
+- `id_ed25519`: SSH key for `root`
+
+## Run
+```
+./run.sh
+```
+
+## SSH
+```
+ssh -i "./id_ed25519" root@<guest_ip>
+```
+
+## Shutdown
+```
+reboot
+```
+
+## Log Notes
+- `PCI: Fatal: No config space access function found` and `MissingAddressRange` lines are expected with `pci=off` in `run.sh`.
+- `SELinux: Could not open policy file ...` is expected in the minimal rootfs.