diff --git a/README b/README.md
similarity index 59%
rename from README
rename to README.md
index 479c3765884..0ba7aa578fa 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,30 +6,22 @@ efficiently and in parallel while working within complex inter-task dependency c
 One of BitBake's main users, OpenEmbedded, takes this core and builds embedded Linux software
 stacks using a task-oriented approach.
 
-For information about Bitbake, see the OpenEmbedded website:
-    http://www.openembedded.org/
+For information about Bitbake, see [the OpenEmbedded website](https://www.openembedded.org/).
 
 Bitbake plain documentation can be found under the doc directory or its integrated
-html version at the Yocto Project website:
-    http://yoctoproject.org/documentation
+html version at [the Yocto Project website](https://yoctoproject.org/documentation).
 
 Contributing
 ------------
 
-Please refer to
-http://www.openembedded.org/wiki/How_to_submit_a_patch_to_OpenEmbedded
+Please refer to [the contributing guide](https://www.openembedded.org/wiki/How_to_submit_a_patch_to_OpenEmbedded)
 for guidelines on how to submit patches, just note that the latter documentation is intended
 for OpenEmbedded (and its core) not bitbake patches (bitbake-devel@lists.openembedded.org)
 but in general main guidelines apply. Once the commit(s) have been created, the way to send
-the patch is through git-send-email. For example, to send the last commit (HEAD) on current
+the patch is through `git-send-email`. For example, to send the last commit (`HEAD`) on current
 branch, type:
 
     git send-email -M -1 --to bitbake-devel@lists.openembedded.org
 
-Mailing list:
-
-    http://lists.openembedded.org/mailman/listinfo/bitbake-devel
-
-Source code:
-
-    http://git.openembedded.org/bitbake/
+You can also see [the mailing list](http://lists.openembedded.org/mailman/listinfo/bitbake-devel)
+and [the source code](https://git.openembedded.org/bitbake/).