diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d87ba73..3d9bede 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,6 +5,52 @@
 **moderncv** provides a documentclass for typesetting curricula vitae in various styles. Moderncv aims to be both straightforward to use and customizable, providing five ready-made styles (classic, casual, banking, oldstyle and fancy) and allowing one to define his own by modifying colors, fonts, icons, etc.
 
 Most commands are defined in such a way that arguments are optional.
+### Getting started 
+Once you clone this repo have a look at some examples and build the manual to see if this package suits your needs.
+This can be done by issuing 
+```make
+make userguide
+```
+in a terminal. After completion of the compilation precompiled versions of the template in all styles can be found in the folder `examples` and 
+the user guide in the folder `manual`.  
+Alternatively get the tar ball from [CTAN](https://ctan.org/pkg/moderncv?lang=de). The examples as well as the documentation are already prebuilt in that tarball.
+
+To start working on your own application use and modify the template file `template.tex`.
+The user guide can be found in the folder `manual` and contains additional information on what the document class offers.
+
+### Makefile
+The `Makefile` supports the following rules.
+
+#### Rules for building templates and the user guide
+* `template:` Build the `moderncv` template `template.tex` with `LuaLaTeX`. This rule can be called in one of two ways: 
+  * `make template`: Build the template in default style.
+  * `make template STYLE=<style>`: Build the template in the style specified by
+	`<style>`. `<style>` can be classic, casual, banking, oldstyle or fancy.
+
+* `templates:` Build the template `template.tex` with LuaLaTeX for _all moderncv styles_ and move resulting `pdf` files to the folder `examples/`.
+
+* `userguide:`  Build the user manual `manual/moderncv_userguide.tex` with `LuaLaTeX`. This rule calls the rule `templates` before compiling the documentation.
+
+* `clean:` Clean the clutter created by compiling the documents.
+
+* `delete:`Delete `template.pdf` and `manual/moderncv_userguide.pdf`.
+
+* `deleteexamples:` Delete `examples/` folder and remaining template example `pdf` files in folder `manual/`.
+
+* `force:`  Force rebuilding the user guide by running the rules `delete` `deleteexamples`  `userguide` and clean.
+
+#### Rules intended for package maintainance
+* `version:` Update the version information (version number and date) of all `moderncv` files (*.sty, moderncv.cls, *.tex). This rule can be called in two different ways. Note, however, that it is intended to be called by the rule `release` and usually does not need to be called explicitly.
+  * `make version`: Called in this way the version number is obtained through `git describe --tags`. If this information is newer all `moderncv` files get updated. 
+  * `make version NEW=<version number>`: Optionally, the desired version number `<version number>` can be specified. 
+
+* `tarball:`  Create a new release tarball suitable for upload to CTAN. If the `example/` folder is present, it gets included in the tar archive. Similary, all `pdf` files in the `manual/` folder get included aswell. This rule is intended to be called by the rule `release` and usually does not need to be called explicitly.
+
+* `release:`Update the version information of all files including the subtitle
+  in the user guide, rebuild examples as well as the user
+  guide and create a releasable tarball including the compiled pdfs. 
+  Before runing `make release` for an actual release be sure to tag the last
+  commit with the intended version information.
 
 Until a decent manual is written, one can always look in the `template.tex` file for an example. It can be compiled to pdf via `latexmk -pdf ./template.tex`.