options/locale/locale_en-US.json

@@ -1004,6 +1004,12 @@
   "repo.object_format": "Object Format",
   "repo.object_format_helper": "Object format of the repository. Cannot be changed later. SHA1 is most compatible.",
   "repo.readme": "README",
+  "repo.well_known_file.readme": "Readme",
+  "repo.well_known_file.license": "License",
+  "repo.well_known_file.contributing": "Contributing",
+  "repo.well_known_file.code_of_conduct": "Code of Conduct",
+  "repo.well_known_file.security": "Security",
+  "repo.well_known_file.changelog": "Changelog",
   "repo.readme_helper": "Select a README file template.",
   "repo.readme_helper_desc": "This is the place where you can write a complete description for your project.",
   "repo.auto_init": "Initialize Repository (Adds .gitignore, License and README)",

routers/web/repo/view_home.go

@@ -151,6 +151,51 @@ func prepareToRenderDirectory(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Well-known file tabs — only at root
+	activeTab := ctx.FormString("tab")
+	if ctx.Repo.TreePath == "" {
+		wellKnownTabs := findWellKnownFiles(entries)
+
+		// Determine which tab is active
+		hasReadme := readmeFile != nil
+		if hasReadme || len(wellKnownTabs) > 0 {
+			// Only show tabs if there are at least 2 items (README + at least one well-known file)
+			if hasReadme && len(wellKnownTabs) > 0 {
+				readmeTab := WellKnownFileTab{
+					TabKey:   "readme",
+					Label:    "repo.well_known_file.readme",
+					FileName: "",
+					Active:   activeTab == "" || activeTab == "readme",
+				}
+				if readmeFile != nil {
+					readmeTab.FileName = readmeFile.Name()
+				}
+
+				// Set active state for well-known tabs
+				for i := range wellKnownTabs {
+					wellKnownTabs[i].Active = wellKnownTabs[i].TabKey == activeTab
+				}
+
+				allTabs := append([]WellKnownFileTab{readmeTab}, wellKnownTabs...)
+				ctx.Data["WellKnownFileTabs"] = allTabs
+			}
+		}
+
+		// If a non-readme tab is selected, render that file instead
+		if activeTab != "" && activeTab != "readme" {
+			for _, tab := range wellKnownTabs {
+				if tab.TabKey == activeTab {
+					entry := findFileEntryByName(entries, tab.FileName)
+					if entry != nil {
+						prepareToRenderReadmeFile(ctx, "", entry)
+						return
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			// If the requested tab was not found, fall through to render readme
+		}
+	}
+
 	prepareToRenderReadmeFile(ctx, subfolder, readmeFile)
 }
 

routers/web/repo/view_readme.go

@@ -141,6 +141,63 @@ func localizedExtensions(ext, languageCode string) (localizedExts []string) {
 	return []string{lowerLangCode + ext, ext}
 }
 
+// WellKnownFileTab represents a tab for a well-known root file (LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING, etc.)
+type WellKnownFileTab struct {
+	TabKey   string // query parameter value, e.g. "license"
+	Label    string // locale key suffix, e.g. "repo.well_known_file.license"
+	FileName string // actual file name found in repo, e.g. "LICENSE.md"
+	Active   bool   // whether this tab is currently selected
+}
+
+// wellKnownFilePatterns maps tab keys to the base file names to search for (case-insensitive).
+// Order defines the tab display order.
+var wellKnownFilePatterns = []struct {
+	TabKey   string
+	BaseName string // matched case-insensitively against file names (without extension)
+}{
+	{"license", "LICENSE"},
+	{"contributing", "CONTRIBUTING"},
+	{"code_of_conduct", "CODE_OF_CONDUCT"},
+	{"security", "SECURITY"},
+	{"changelog", "CHANGELOG"},
+}
+
+// findWellKnownFiles scans root directory entries for well-known markdown/text files.
+func findWellKnownFiles(entries []*git.TreeEntry) []WellKnownFileTab {
+	var tabs []WellKnownFileTab
+	for _, pattern := range wellKnownFilePatterns {
+		for _, entry := range entries {
+			if entry.IsDir() || entry.IsSubModule() {
+				continue
+			}
+			name := entry.Name()
+			baseName := name
+			if idx := strings.LastIndex(name, "."); idx >= 0 {
+				baseName = name[:idx]
+			}
+			if strings.EqualFold(baseName, pattern.BaseName) {
+				tabs = append(tabs, WellKnownFileTab{
+					TabKey:   pattern.TabKey,
+					Label:    "repo.well_known_file." + pattern.TabKey,
+					FileName: name,
+				})
+				break // take the first match for this pattern
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return tabs
+}
+
+// findFileEntryByName finds a tree entry by exact file name.
+func findFileEntryByName(entries []*git.TreeEntry, fileName string) *git.TreeEntry {
+	for _, entry := range entries {
+		if entry.Name() == fileName {
+			return entry
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func prepareToRenderReadmeFile(ctx *context.Context, subfolder string, readmeFile *git.TreeEntry) {
 	if readmeFile == nil {
 		return

templates/repo/view_content.tmpl

@@ -130,6 +130,21 @@
 		{{template "repo/code/upstream_diverging_info" .}}
 	{{end}}
 	{{template "repo/view_list" .}}
+	{{if .WellKnownFileTabs}}
+		<div class="ui top attached tabular menu well-known-file-tabs">
+			{{range .WellKnownFileTabs}}
+				<a class="{{if .Active}}active {{end}}item" href="?tab={{.TabKey}}">
+					{{if eq .TabKey "readme"}}{{svg "octicon-book" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{if eq .TabKey "license"}}{{svg "octicon-law" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{if eq .TabKey "contributing"}}{{svg "octicon-heart" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{if eq .TabKey "code_of_conduct"}}{{svg "octicon-people" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{if eq .TabKey "security"}}{{svg "octicon-shield" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{if eq .TabKey "changelog"}}{{svg "octicon-history" 16 "tw-mr-1"}}{{end -}}
+					{{ctx.Locale.Tr .Label}}
+				</a>
+			{{end}}
+		</div>
+	{{end}}
 	{{if and .ReadmeExist (or .RenderAsMarkup .IsPlainText)}}
 		{{template "repo/view_file" .}}
 	{{end}}