Revamp the Readme of the minimal template

templates/minimal/README.md

@@ -1,13 +1,95 @@
-# Minimal Template
+<div align="center">
 
-This is a minimal template for creating a blockchain using the Polkadot SDK.
+# Polkadot SDK's Minimal Template
 
-# Docs
+<img height="70px" alt="Polkadot SDK Logo" src="https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/raw/master/docs/images/Polkadot_Logo_Horizontal_Pink_White.png#gh-dark-mode-only"/>
+<img height="70px" alt="Polkadot SDK Logo" src="https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/raw/master/docs/images/Polkadot_Logo_Horizontal_Pink_Black.png#gh-light-mode-only"/>
 
-You can generate and view the [Rust
-Docs](https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/commands/cargo-doc.html) for this template
-with this command:
+> This is a minimal template for creating a blockchain based on Polkadot SDK.
+> 
+> This template is automatically updated after releases in the main [Polkadot SDK monorepo](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk).
+
+</div>
+
+🤏 This template is a minimal (in terms of complexity and the number of components) template for building a blockchain node.
+
+🔧 It's runtime is configured of a single custom pallet as a staring point, and a handful of ready-made pallets such as a [Balances pallet](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/pallet_balances/index.html).
+
+👤 The template has no consensus configured - it is best for experimenting with a single node network.
+
+## Template Structure
+
+A Polkadot SDK based project such as this one consists of:
+
+- 💿 a [Node](./node/README.md) - the binary application.
+- 🧮 the [Runtime](./runtime/README.md) - the core logic of the blockchain.
+- 🎨 the [Pallets](./pallets/README.md) - from which the runtime is constructed.
+
+## Getting Started
+
+🦀 The template is using the Rust language.
+
+👉 Check the
+[Rust installation instructions](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install) for your system.
+
+🛠️ Depending on your operating system and Rust version, there might be additional
+packages required to compile this template - please take note of the Rust compiler output.
+
+### Build
+
+🔨 Use the following command to build the node without launching it:
 
 ```sh
-cargo doc -p minimal-template --open
+cargo build --release
 ```
+
+🐳 Alternatively, build the docker image:
+
+```sh
+docker build . -t polkadot-sdk-minimal-template
+```
+
+### Single-Node Development Chain
+
+👤 The following command starts a single-node development chain:
+
+```sh
+./target/release/minimal-template-node --dev
+
+# docker version:
+docker run --rm polkadot-sdk-minimal-template --dev
+```
+
+Development chains:
+
+- 🧹 Do not persist the state.
+- 💰 Are preconfigured with a genesis state that includes several prefunded development accounts.
+- 🧑‍⚖️ Development accounts are used as default validator authorities and a `sudo` account.
+
+### Connect with the Polkadot-JS Apps Front-End
+
+🌐 You can interact with your local node using the
+hosted version of the [Polkadot/Substrate
+Portal](https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/explorer?rpc=ws://localhost:9944).
+
+🪐 A hosted version is also
+available on [IPFS](https://dotapps.io/).
+
+🧑‍🔧 You can also find the source code and instructions for hosting your own instance in the
+[`polkadot-js/apps`](https://github.com/polkadot-js/apps) repository.
+
+## Contributing
+
+🔄 This template is automatically updated after releases in the main [Polkadot SDK monorepo](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk).
+
+➡️ Any pull requests should be directed to this [source](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/tree/master/templates/minimal).
+
+😇 Please refer to the monorepo's [contribution guidelines](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/blob/master/docs/contributor/CONTRIBUTING.md) and [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/blob/master/docs/contributor/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
+
+## Getting Help
+
+🧑‍🏫 To learn about Polkadot in general, [Polkadot.network](https://polkadot.network/) website is a good starting point.
+
+🧑‍🔧 For technical introduction, [here](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk#-documentation) are the Polkadot SDK documentation resources.
+
+👥 Additionally, there are [GitHub issues](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/issues) and [Substrate StackExchange](https://substrate.stackexchange.com/).

templates/minimal/node/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Node
+
+ℹ️ A node -  in Polkadot - is a binary executable, whose primary purpose is to execute the [runtime](../runtime/README.md).
+
+🔗 It communicated with other nodes in the network, and aims for [consensus](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/learn-consensus) among them.
+
+⚙️ It acts as a remote procedure call (RPC) server, allowing interaction with the blockchain.
+
+👉 Learn more about the architecture, and a difference between a node and a runtime [here](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/reference_docs/wasm_meta_protocol/index.html).
+
+👇 Here are the most important files in this node template:
+
+- [`chain_spec.rs`](./src/chain_spec.rs): A chain specification is a source code file that defines the chain's initial (genesis) state.
+- [`service.rs`](./src/service.rs): This file defines the node implementation. It's a place to configure consensus-related topics. In favor of minimalism, this template has no consensus configured.

templates/minimal/pallets/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Pallets
+
+ℹ️ A pallet is a unit of encapsulated logic, with a clearly defined responsibility. A pallet is analogous to a module in the runtime.
+
+💁 In this template, there is a simple custom pallet based on the FRAME framework.
+
+👉 Learn more about FRAME [here](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/polkadot_sdk/frame_runtime/index.html).
+
+🧑‍🏫 Please refer to [this guide](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/guides/your_first_pallet/index.html) to learn how to write a basic pallet.

templates/minimal/runtime/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Runtime
+
+ℹ️ The runtime (in other words, a state transition function), refers to the core logic of the blockchain that is responsible for
+validating blocks and executing the state changes they define.
+
+💁 The runtime in this template is constructed using ready-made FRAME pallets that ship with [Polkadot SDK](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk), and a [template for a custom pallet](../pallets/README.md).
+
+👉 Learn more about FRAME [here](https://paritytech.github.io/polkadot-sdk/master/polkadot_sdk_docs/polkadot_sdk/frame_runtime/index.html).

templates/solochain/README.md

@@ -103,9 +103,8 @@ After you start the node template locally, you can interact with it using the
 hosted version of the [Polkadot/Substrate
 Portal](https://polkadot.js.org/apps/#/explorer?rpc=ws://localhost:9944)
 front-end by connecting to the local node endpoint. A hosted version is also
-available on [IPFS (redirect) here](https://dotapps.io/) or [IPNS (direct)
-here](ipns://dotapps.io/?rpc=ws%3A%2F%2F127.0.0.1%3A9944#/explorer). You can
-also find the source code and instructions for hosting your own instance on the
+available on [IPFS](https://dotapps.io/). You can
+also find the source code and instructions for hosting your own instance in the
 [`polkadot-js/apps`](https://github.com/polkadot-js/apps) repository.
 
 ### Multi-Node Local Testnet
@@ -131,7 +130,7 @@ capabilities:
   the network. Substrate makes it possible to supply custom consensus engines
   and also ships with several consensus mechanisms that have been built on top
   of [Web3 Foundation
-  research](https://research.web3.foundation/en/latest/polkadot/NPoS/index.html).
+  research](https://research.web3.foundation/Polkadot/protocols/NPoS).
 - RPC Server: A remote procedure call (RPC) server is used to interact with
   Substrate nodes.