--- /dev/null
+# ansicolors [![build status](https://secure.travis-ci.org/thlorenz/ansicolors.png)](http://next.travis-ci.org/thlorenz/ansicolors)
+
+Functions that surround a string with ansicolor codes so it prints in color.
+
+In case you need styles, like `bold`, have a look at [ansistyles](https://github.com/thlorenz/ansistyles).
+
+## Installation
+
+ npm install ansicolors
+
+## Usage
+
+```js
+var colors = require('ansicolors');
+
+// foreground colors
+var redHerring = colors.red('herring');
+var blueMoon = colors.blue('moon');
+var brighBlueMoon = colors.brightBlue('moon');
+
+console.log(redHerring); // this will print 'herring' in red
+console.log(blueMoon); // this 'moon' in blue
+console.log(brightBlueMoon); // I think you got the idea
+
+// background colors
+console.log(colors.bgYellow('printed on yellow background'));
+console.log(colors.bgBrightBlue('printed on bright blue background'));
+
+// mixing background and foreground colors
+// below two lines have same result (order in which bg and fg are combined doesn't matter)
+console.log(colors.bgYellow(colors.blue('printed on yellow background in blue')));
+console.log(colors.blue(colors.bgYellow('printed on yellow background in blue')));
+```
+
+## Advanced API
+
+**ansicolors** allows you to access opening and closing escape sequences separately.
+
+```js
+var colors = require('ansicolors');
+
+function inspect(obj, depth) {
+ return require('util').inspect(obj, false, depth || 5, true);
+}
+
+console.log('open blue', inspect(colors.open.blue));
+console.log('close bgBlack', inspect(colors.close.bgBlack));
+
+// => open blue '\u001b[34m'
+// close bgBlack '\u001b[49m'
+```
+
+## Tests
+
+Look at the [tests](https://github.com/thlorenz/ansicolors/blob/master/test/ansicolors.js) to see more examples and/or run them via:
+
+ npm explore ansicolors && npm test
+
+## Alternatives
+
+**ansicolors** tries to meet simple use cases with a very simple API. However, if you need a more powerful ansi formatting tool,
+I'd suggest to look at the [features](https://github.com/TooTallNate/ansi.js#features) of the [ansi module](https://github.com/TooTallNate/ansi.js).