Please, add a small section to the README on how to install and use this tool

[nbro]

The most important thing is not in the README. I want to start using this tool, but I am spammed with all these badges, and there are no instructions on how to install and use this tool, but just links and confusing texts. Yes, I know there's the documentation, but why not also have some useful instructions directly on the README on how to do what I said?

[rnveach]

If we added a link, it would probably point to https://checkstyle.org/beginning_development.html

[nrmancuso]

The most important thing is not in the README.

just links and confusing texts.

I agree with these statements, and I am actively working on a PR to improve this situation by adding a "quick start" section to the README: #14514. Thanks for raising this issue.

I want to start using this tool, but I am spammed with all these badges,

Yes, I mostly agree with this statement; the badges are distracting, and not really helpful to most users. However, this seems to be a fairly common Github practice, and easily ignored.

[romani]

Historically users used https://checkstyle.org/ more than source hosting services.

But GitHub changed this, and even Google search direct to source repo above website.

want to start using this tool

For just usage better
to start with https://checkstyle.org/
For starting contribution better to look at GitHub. Yes, we can consider some improvements to Readme to make experience of future contributors smooth. Readme content is not set in stone.

[nrmancuso]

For just usage better
to start with https://checkstyle.org/
For starting contribution better to look at GitHub

Most projects (especially projects targeted at developers) have usage information as the first element of their README, and I wholeheartedly agree with this practice. However, this is sort of a complicated topic for us. Most folks will use checkstyle via gradle or maven plugins, which we do not maintain. I am not sure how I would feel about having the typical copy/pastable module in our README for gradle and maven dependencies since we have no control over these projects.

[romani]

We can ask users what they expect while reading GitHub Readme.
This issue is good place for them to share ideas.