Create README.md

README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# PIKTURE (PIK)
+**Fast. Small. Easy.**
+
+PIKTURE is a high-performance, lossless image format designed for systems where decoding speed and binary simplicity are critical. It is built on the FSE philosophy: Fast execution, Small file size, and Easy integration.
+
+## Why PIKTURE?
+Standard formats like PNG are often bottlenecked by heavy decompression algorithms (DEFLATE/ZIP). PIKTURE replaces complex bit-shuffling with a hardware-friendly **INDEX + Delta** encoding, allowing the CPU to stream pixels directly to memory with minimal overhead.
+
+### Key Features
+- **Lossless:** 100% bit-perfect reproduction of RGBA data.
+- **Ultra-Fast:** Near-memcpy decoding speeds.
+- **Small Footprint:** Single-header C99 library with zero dependencies.
+- **Smart Alpha:** Automatically optimizes storage when transparency is not used.
+
+## Performance Comparison
+Benchmark results for a 5K professional image (sample 5120x3840):
+
+| Format | File Size | Difference | Decoding Complexity |
+| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
+| **PNG** | 16.2 MB | Baseline | High (CPU Intensive) |
+| **PIKTURE (PIK)** | **10.1 MB** | **- 6.1 MB (37%)** | **Minimal (Linear Stream)** |
+
+## Implementation
+The core library consists of only two files: `pikture.h` and `pikture.c`.
+
+### Building
+The project is designed to be cross-compiled using the **Zig** toolchain for maximum portability across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
+
+```bash
+# Run the build script to generate static and shared libraries
+./build.sh | UNIX
+./build.bat | WINDOWS