diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b531859..3df18f8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,33 @@
 # Binary Encoder / Decoder
 
-A compact encoder / decoder pair that uses an binary encoding scheme similar
-to how the data is laid out in memory.
+A compact encoder / decoder pair that uses an binary zero-fluff encoding scheme.
+The size of the encoded object will be the same or smaller than the size that
+the object takes up in memory in a running Rust program.
+
+```rust
+extern crate binary_encode;
+extern crate serialize;
+
+#[deriving(Encodable, Decodable, PartialEq)]
+struct Entity {
+    x: f32,
+    y: f32,
+}
+
+#[deriving(Encodable, Decodable, PartialEq)]
+struct World {
+    entities: Vec<Entity>
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    let world = World {
+        entities: vec![Entity {x: 0.0, y: 4.0}, Entity {x: 10.0, y: 20.5}]
+    };
+
+    let encoded: Vec<u8> = binary_encode::encode(&world).unwrap();
+    let decoded: World = binary_encode::decode(encoded).unwrap();
+
+    assert!(world == decoded);
+}
+
+```
diff --git a/readme.dev.md b/readme.dev.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13654fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/readme.dev.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Binary Encoder / Decoder
+
+A compact encoder / decoder pair that uses an binary zero-fluff encoding scheme.
+The size of the encoded object will be the same or smaller than the size that
+the object takes up in memory in a running Rust program.
+
+^code(./examples/basic.rs)