diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06781d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# eolib-go
+
+Core library for writing Endless Online applications using the Go programming language.
+
+## Usage
+
+### Referencing the package
+
+The library may be referenced in a project via go get:
+
+```
+go get https://github.com/ethanmoffat/eolib-go@v1.0.0
+```
+
+### Sample code
+
+A sample server skeleton using eolib-go is [available here](https://gist.github.com/ethanmoffat/95eed4ef0eeb524c8a505acb1bcbf956).
+
+## Development Environment
+
+### Installing go
+
+Development was done using go 1.20.5 on Ubuntu Linux. Development on Windows is untested.
+
+[gvm](https://github.com/moovweb/gvm) is recommended as a mechanism to manage installations of different versions of go.
+
+To set up gvm on Linux using bash:
+```bash
+bash < <(curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moovweb/gvm/master/binscripts/gvm-installer)
+source $HOME/.gvm/scripts/gvm
+```
+
+The `source` command may be added to your `~/.bash_profile` so gvm is available in all login shells.
+
+```bash
+echo "source $HOME/.gvm/scripts/gvm" >> ~/.bash_profile
+```
+
+Once gvm is installed and sourced, use the following commands to install and use go 1.20.5:
+
+```bash
+gvm install go1.20.5 -B
+gvm use go1.20.5
+```
+
+The `gvm use` command is required on each subsequent terminal or session in which `go` commands must be run.
+
+### VSCode setup
+
+If go is installed via gvm, you must update your `$GOROOT` variable to point at it, or VSCode won't be able to find the go binary.
+
+Get the path to the GOROOT via `go env`:
+
+```bash
+~ [ethan@BEASTMODE] $  gvm use go1.20.5
+Now using version go1.20.5
+~ [ethan@BEASTMODE] $  go env GOROOT
+/home/ethan/.gvm/gos/go1.20.5
+```
+
+In VSCode, search for the `GOROOT` setting and update the path to point at this version of go.
+
+Note that a gvm extension exists for VSCode but it is out of date and no longer functions properly.
+
+### Building the code
+
+A `Makefile` is provided to ease the process of building, testing, and code generation. Use `make help` to see all available targets. Running `make` by itself should be enough for most uses. `make test` is also available to run all tests.
+
+Building the library on Windows is left as an exercise to the reader.