feat: show template prerequisites in builder UI (#26523)

Surface base template prerequisites to admins before they create a template in the Template Builder wizard. Today, template prerequisites (Docker socket setup, Kubernetes auth, AWS IAM policies) are only visible in the registry README after import. Admins hit opaque provisioner errors and have to hunt for docs. This change extracts the prerequisites from the README and serves them via the API so the frontend can display them inline. ## How it works Each base template README uses HTML comment markers (`` / ``) to delimit the prerequisites section. At boot time, the base catalog loader reads the README, extracts the content between markers via `strings.Index`, and caches both the full README and the prerequisites string. The prerequisites are served via a new `prerequisites` field on `GET /api/v2/templatebuilder/bases`. The full README is included in the composed template tar bundle and stored as the template version readme. ## Changes - Add `README.md` with prerequisite markers to `coderd/templatebuilder/bases/{docker,kubernetes,aws-linux}/` - New `ExtractPrerequisites()` in `prerequisites.go` using literal string matching - `bases.go`: load README at boot, fail loudly if missing, extract prerequisites - `compose.go`: include README in `ComposeResult` and tar bundle - `codersdk`: add `Prerequisites` field to `TemplateBuilderBase` - Handler: populate prerequisites in bases response, set readme on template version <details> <summary>Implementation notes</summary> - Prerequisites extraction uses `strings.Index` for exact literal marker matching; no regex or AST parser needed since we control the markers. - YAML frontmatter is deliberately retained in the stored README. The frontend `TemplateDocsPage` already strips it at render time via `front-matter`. - The prerequisite markers are HTML comments, invisible in rendered markdown. - The `RejectsMissingReadme` test enforces that every base template must include a README. - AWS Linux prerequisites span two H2 sections (`## Prerequisites` and `## Required permissions / policy`), which is why heading-based parsing was rejected in favor of explicit markers. *Generated with the assistance of an AI coding agent. Reviewed by @jeremyruppel.* </details> Relates to https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DEVEX-446
2026-09-24 15:04:27 +08:00 · 2026-06-23 11:36:07 -04:00
parent 7ea5d48296
commit 10717572ac
17 changed files with 492 additions and 30 deletions
@@ -23884,6 +23884,9 @@ const docTemplate = `{
                "os": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
+                "prerequisites": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                },
                "variables": {
                    "type": "array",
                    "items": {
@@ -21915,6 +21915,9 @@
 				"os": {
 					"type": "string"
 				},
+				"prerequisites": {
+					"type": "string"
+				},
 				"variables": {
 					"type": "array",
 					"items": {
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ type BaseDefaultContext struct {
 // parsedBase holds the result of loading and pre-parsing a single base
 // template directory.
 type parsedBase struct {
-	Manifest  BaseManifest
-	Templates map[string]*template.Template
-	FS        fs.FS
+	Manifest      BaseManifest
+	Templates     map[string]*template.Template
+	FS            fs.FS
+	Readme        string // full README.md content (including frontmatter)
+	Prerequisites string // content between prerequisite comment markers
 }

 var loadBases = sync.OnceValues(func() (map[string]*parsedBase, error) {
@@ -114,10 +116,18 @@ func parseBasesFromFS(fsys fs.FS) (map[string]*parsedBase, error) {
 			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("parse templates for base %q: %w", manifest.ID, err)
 		}

+		readmeData, err := fs.ReadFile(baseFS, "README.md")
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("read README.md for base %q: %w", manifest.ID, err)
+		}
+		readme := string(readmeData)
+
 		bases[manifest.ID] = &parsedBase{
-			Manifest:  manifest,
-			Templates: templates,
-			FS:        baseFS,
+			Manifest:      manifest,
+			Templates:     templates,
+			FS:            baseFS,
+			Readme:        readme,
+			Prerequisites: ExtractPrerequisites(readme),
 		}
 	}

@@ -233,3 +243,24 @@ func BaseTemplateFS(exampleID string) (fs.FS, error) {
 	}
 	return base.FS, nil
 }
+
+// BaseReadme returns the full README.md content for a base template.
+// Returns an empty string if the base is unknown or has no README.
+func BaseReadme(exampleID string) string {
+	bases, err := loadBases()
+	if err != nil || bases[exampleID] == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return bases[exampleID].Readme
+}
+
+// BasePrerequisites returns the prerequisites section extracted from
+// the base template README. Returns an empty string if the base is
+// unknown or has no prerequisites markers.
+func BasePrerequisites(exampleID string) string {
+	bases, err := loadBases()
+	if err != nil || bases[exampleID] == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return bases[exampleID].Prerequisites
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+---
+display_name: AWS EC2 (Linux)
+description: Provision AWS EC2 VMs as Coder workspaces
+icon: ../../../site/static/icon/aws.svg
+maintainer_github: coder
+verified: true
+tags: [vm, linux, aws, persistent-vm]
+---
+
+# Remote Development on AWS EC2 VMs (Linux)
+
+Provision AWS EC2 VMs as [Coder workspaces](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/workspace-management) with this example template.
+
+<!-- prerequisites:start -->
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+### Authentication
+
+By default, this template authenticates to AWS using the provider's default [authentication methods](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs#authentication-and-configuration).
+
+The simplest way (without making changes to the template) is via environment variables (e.g. `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`) or a [credentials file](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-configure-files.html#cli-configure-files-format). If you are running Coder on a VM, this file must be in `/home/coder/aws/credentials`.
+
+To use another [authentication method](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/aws/latest/docs#authentication), edit the template.
+
+## Required permissions / policy
+
+The following sample policy allows Coder to create EC2 instances and modify
+instances provisioned by Coder:
+
+```json
+{
+	"Version": "2012-10-17",
+	"Statement": [
+		{
+			"Sid": "VisualEditor0",
+			"Effect": "Allow",
+			"Action": [
+				"ec2:GetDefaultCreditSpecification",
+				"ec2:DescribeIamInstanceProfileAssociations",
+				"ec2:DescribeTags",
+				"ec2:DescribeInstances",
+				"ec2:DescribeInstanceTypes",
+				"ec2:DescribeInstanceStatus",
+				"ec2:CreateTags",
+				"ec2:RunInstances",
+				"ec2:DescribeInstanceCreditSpecifications",
+				"ec2:DescribeImages",
+				"ec2:ModifyDefaultCreditSpecification",
+				"ec2:DescribeVolumes"
+			],
+			"Resource": "*"
+		},
+		{
+			"Sid": "CoderResources",
+			"Effect": "Allow",
+			"Action": [
+				"ec2:DescribeInstanceAttribute",
+				"ec2:UnmonitorInstances",
+				"ec2:TerminateInstances",
+				"ec2:StartInstances",
+				"ec2:StopInstances",
+				"ec2:DeleteTags",
+				"ec2:MonitorInstances",
+				"ec2:CreateTags",
+				"ec2:RunInstances",
+				"ec2:ModifyInstanceAttribute",
+				"ec2:ModifyInstanceCreditSpecification"
+			],
+			"Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*",
+			"Condition": {
+				"StringEquals": {
+					"aws:ResourceTag/Coder_Provisioned": "true"
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	]
+}
+```
+
+<!-- prerequisites:end -->
+
+## Architecture
+
+This template provisions the following resources:
+
+- AWS Instance
+
+Coder uses `aws_ec2_instance_state` to start and stop the VM. This example template is fully persistent, meaning the full filesystem is preserved when the workspace restarts. See this [community example](https://github.com/bpmct/coder-templates/tree/main/aws-linux-ephemeral) of an ephemeral AWS instance.
+
+> **Note**
+> This template is designed to be a starting point! Edit the Terraform to extend the template to support your use case.
+
+## code-server
+
+`code-server` is installed via the `startup_script` argument in the `coder_agent`
+resource block. The `coder_app` resource is defined to access `code-server` through
+the dashboard UI over `localhost:13337`.
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+---
+display_name: Docker Containers
+description: Provision Docker containers as Coder workspaces
+icon: ../../../site/static/icon/docker.png
+maintainer_github: coder
+verified: true
+tags: [docker, container]
+---
+
+# Remote Development on Docker Containers
+
+Provision Docker containers as [Coder workspaces](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/workspace-management) with this example template.
+
+<!-- TODO: Add screenshot -->
+
+<!-- prerequisites:start -->
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+### Infrastructure
+
+The VM you run Coder on must have a running Docker socket and the `coder` user must be added to the Docker group:
+
+```sh
+# Add coder user to Docker group
+sudo adduser coder docker
+
+# Restart Coder server
+sudo systemctl restart coder
+
+# Test Docker
+sudo -u coder docker ps
+```
+
+<!-- prerequisites:end -->
+
+## Architecture
+
+This template provisions the following resources:
+
+- Docker image (built by Docker socket and kept locally)
+- Docker container pod (ephemeral)
+- Docker volume (persistent on `/home/coder`)
+
+This means, when the workspace restarts, any tools or files outside of the home directory are not persisted. To pre-bake tools into the workspace (e.g. `python3`), modify the container image. Alternatively, individual developers can [personalize](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/workspace-dotfiles) their workspaces with dotfiles.
+
+> **Note**
+> This template is designed to be a starting point! Edit the Terraform to extend the template to support your use case.
+
+### Editing the image
+
+Edit the `Dockerfile` and run `coder templates push` to update workspaces.
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+---
+display_name: Kubernetes (Deployment)
+description: Provision Kubernetes Deployments as Coder workspaces
+icon: ../../../site/static/icon/k8s.png
+maintainer_github: coder
+verified: true
+tags: [kubernetes, container]
+---
+
+# Remote Development on Kubernetes Pods
+
+Provision Kubernetes Pods as [Coder workspaces](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/workspace-management) with this example template.
+
+<!-- TODO: Add screenshot -->
+
+<!-- prerequisites:start -->
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+### Infrastructure
+
+**Cluster**: This template requires an existing Kubernetes cluster
+
+**Container Image**: This template uses the [codercom/enterprise-base:ubuntu image](https://github.com/coder/enterprise-images/tree/main/images/base) with some dev tools preinstalled. To add additional tools, extend this image or build it yourself.
+
+### Authentication
+
+This template authenticates using a `~/.kube/config`, if present on the server, or via built-in authentication if the Coder provisioner is running on Kubernetes with an authorized ServiceAccount. To use another [authentication method](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/hashicorp/kubernetes/latest/docs#authentication), edit the template.
+
+<!-- prerequisites:end -->
+
+## Architecture
+
+This template provisions the following resources:
+
+- Kubernetes pod (ephemeral)
+- Kubernetes persistent volume claim (persistent on `/home/coder`)
+
+This means, when the workspace restarts, any tools or files outside of the home directory are not persisted. To pre-bake tools into the workspace (e.g. `python3`), modify the container image. Alternatively, individual developers can [personalize](https://coder.com/docs/user-guides/workspace-dotfiles) their workspaces with dotfiles.
+
+> **Note**
+> This template is designed to be a starting point! Edit the Terraform to extend the template to support your use case.
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 			"bases/docker/main.tf.tmpl": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`image = "{{ .ContainerImage }}"`),
 			},
+			"bases/docker/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# Docker\n"),
+			},
 		}

 		bases, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
@@ -52,12 +55,18 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 			"bases/alpha/main.tf.tmpl": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`resource "alpha" {}`),
 			},
+			"bases/alpha/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# Alpha\n"),
+			},
 			"bases/beta/base.json": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`{"id": "beta", "os": "linux"}`),
 			},
 			"bases/beta/main.tf.tmpl": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`resource "beta" {}`),
 			},
+			"bases/beta/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# Beta\n"),
+			},
 		}

 		bases, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
@@ -93,6 +102,9 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 			"bases/mybase/cloud-init/config.yaml.tftpl": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`${some_terraform_var}`),
 			},
+			"bases/mybase/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# My Base\n"),
+			},
 		}

 		bases, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
@@ -105,6 +117,22 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NotContains(t, b.Templates, "cloud-init/config.yaml.tftpl")
 	})

+	t.Run("RejectsMissingReadme", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		fsys := fstest.MapFS{
+			"bases/bad/base.json": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte(`{"id": "bad", "os": "linux"}`),
+			},
+			"bases/bad/main.tf.tmpl": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte(`resource {}`),
+			},
+		}
+
+		_, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
+		require.ErrorContains(t, err, "read README.md for base")
+	})
+
 	t.Run("RejectsDirWithoutManifest", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()

@@ -136,9 +164,15 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 			"bases/a/base.json": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`{"id": "dupe", "os": "linux"}`),
 			},
+			"bases/a/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# A\n"),
+			},
 			"bases/b/base.json": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`{"id": "dupe", "os": "linux"}`),
 			},
+			"bases/b/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# B\n"),
+			},
 		}

 		_, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
@@ -207,6 +241,9 @@ func TestParseBasesFromFS(t *testing.T) {
 			"bases/nospec/base.json": &fstest.MapFile{
 				Data: []byte(`{"id": "nospec"}`),
 			},
+			"bases/nospec/README.md": &fstest.MapFile{
+				Data: []byte("# No Spec\n"),
+			},
 		}

 		bases, err := parseBasesFromFS(fsys)
@@ -101,3 +101,46 @@ func TestBaseTemplateFS(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unknown base template")
 	})
 }
+
+func TestBaseReadme(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("KnownBasesHaveReadme", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		for _, id := range templatebuilder.BaseTemplateIDs() {
+			readme := templatebuilder.BaseReadme(id)
+			require.NotEmpty(t, readme, "base %q should have a README", id)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("UnknownReturnsEmpty", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		require.Empty(t, templatebuilder.BaseReadme("nonexistent"))
+	})
+}
+
+func TestBasePrerequisites(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("KnownBasesHavePrerequisites", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		for _, id := range templatebuilder.BaseTemplateIDs() {
+			prereqs := templatebuilder.BasePrerequisites(id)
+			require.NotEmpty(t, prereqs, "base %q should have prerequisites", id)
+			require.Contains(t, prereqs, "## Prerequisites",
+				"base %q prerequisites should contain the heading", id)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("AWSLinuxIncludesPermissions", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		prereqs := templatebuilder.BasePrerequisites("aws-linux")
+		require.Contains(t, prereqs, "## Required permissions / policy",
+			"AWS Linux prerequisites should include the permissions section")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("UnknownReturnsEmpty", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		require.Empty(t, templatebuilder.BasePrerequisites("nonexistent"))
+	})
+}
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ type ComposeResult struct {
 	// ModulesTF is the concatenated rendered module blocks. Empty when
 	// no modules are selected.
 	ModulesTF []byte
+	// Readme is the full README.md content from the base template.
+	// Empty when the base has no README.
+	Readme []byte
 }

 // Compose renders a base template and selected modules into Terraform
@@ -59,7 +62,10 @@ func Compose(req ComposeRequest) (*ComposeResult, error) {
 	}

 	if len(req.Modules) == 0 {
-		return &ComposeResult{MainTF: formatHCL(mainTF)}, nil
+		return &ComposeResult{
+			MainTF: formatHCL(mainTF),
+			Readme: []byte(BaseReadme(req.BaseTemplateID)),
+		}, nil
 	}

 	agentName, err := ExtractAgentResourceName(mainTF)
@@ -82,10 +88,12 @@ func Compose(req ComposeRequest) (*ComposeResult, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}

-	return &ComposeResult{
+	result := &ComposeResult{
 		MainTF:    formatHCL(mainTF),
 		ModulesTF: formatHCL(modulesTF),
-	}, nil
+		Readme:    []byte(BaseReadme(req.BaseTemplateID)),
+	}
+	return result, nil
 }

 // formatHCL applies canonical HCL formatting to src. If src is not valid
@@ -448,6 +456,12 @@ func BundleTar(result *ComposeResult) ([]byte, error) {
 		}
 	}

+	if len(result.Readme) > 0 {
+		if err := writeTarFile(tw, "README.md", result.Readme); err != nil {
+			return nil, xerrors.Errorf("write README.md to tar: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err := tw.Close(); err != nil {
 		return nil, xerrors.Errorf("close tar writer: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func TestCompose(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NotEmpty(t, result.MainTF)
 		require.Contains(t, string(result.MainTF), `resource "coder_agent" "main"`)
 		require.Empty(t, result.ModulesTF)
+		require.NotEmpty(t, result.Readme, "compose should include base README")
 	})

 	t.Run("BaseWithModuleAndVariableOverride", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ func TestBundleTar(t *testing.T) {
 		files := extractTar(t, data)
 		require.Contains(t, files, "main.tf")
 		require.NotContains(t, files, "modules.tf")
+		require.NotContains(t, files, "README.md")
 		require.Equal(t, "resource {}", files["main.tf"])
 	})

@@ -278,10 +280,26 @@ func TestBundleTar(t *testing.T) {
 		files := extractTar(t, data)
 		require.Contains(t, files, "main.tf")
 		require.Contains(t, files, "modules.tf")
+		require.NotContains(t, files, "README.md")
 		require.Equal(t, "resource {}", files["main.tf"])
 		require.Equal(t, "module {}", files["modules.tf"])
 	})

+	t.Run("IncludesReadme", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		result := &templatebuilder.ComposeResult{
+			MainTF: []byte("resource {}"),
+			Readme: []byte("# My Template\n"),
+		}
+		data, err := templatebuilder.BundleTar(result)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		files := extractTar(t, data)
+		require.Contains(t, files, "main.tf")
+		require.Contains(t, files, "README.md")
+		require.Equal(t, "# My Template\n", files["README.md"])
+	})
+
 	t.Run("RoundTrip", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 		result, err := templatebuilder.Compose(templatebuilder.ComposeRequest{
@@ -299,6 +317,7 @@ func TestBundleTar(t *testing.T) {
 		files := extractTar(t, data)
 		require.Equal(t, string(result.MainTF), files["main.tf"])
 		require.Equal(t, string(result.ModulesTF), files["modules.tf"])
+		require.Equal(t, string(result.Readme), files["README.md"])
 	})

 	t.Run("ReproducibleArchive", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package templatebuilder
+
+import "strings"
+
+const (
+	// prerequisitesStartMarker delimits the beginning of the prerequisites
+	// section inside a base template README.md.
+	prerequisitesStartMarker = "<!-- prerequisites:start -->"
+	// prerequisitesEndMarker delimits the end of the prerequisites section.
+	prerequisitesEndMarker = "<!-- prerequisites:end -->"
+)
+
+// ExtractPrerequisites returns the content between the prerequisites
+// comment markers in a README body. Returns an empty string when either
+// marker is absent.
+func ExtractPrerequisites(readme string) string {
+	startIdx := strings.Index(readme, prerequisitesStartMarker)
+	if startIdx < 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	after := readme[startIdx+len(prerequisitesStartMarker):]
+	endIdx := strings.Index(after, prerequisitesEndMarker)
+	if endIdx < 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(after[:endIdx])
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package templatebuilder_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/templatebuilder"
+)
+
+func TestExtractPrerequisites(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		readme   string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "BothMarkers",
+			readme: "# Title\n\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:start -->\n" +
+				"## Prerequisites\n\n" +
+				"Install Docker.\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:end -->\n\n" +
+				"## Architecture\n",
+			expected: "## Prerequisites\n\nInstall Docker.",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "MultipleH2Sections",
+			readme: "# Title\n\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:start -->\n" +
+				"## Prerequisites\n\n" +
+				"Auth stuff.\n\n" +
+				"## Required permissions\n\n" +
+				"Policy JSON.\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:end -->\n\n" +
+				"## Architecture\n",
+			expected: "## Prerequisites\n\nAuth stuff.\n\n## Required permissions\n\nPolicy JSON.",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "NoMarkers",
+			readme:   "# Title\n\n## Prerequisites\n\nSome content.\n\n## Architecture\n",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "StartMarkerOnly",
+			readme: "# Title\n\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:start -->\n" +
+				"## Prerequisites\n\nContent.\n",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "EndMarkerOnly",
+			readme: "# Title\n\n" +
+				"## Prerequisites\n\nContent.\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:end -->\n",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "EmptyBetweenMarkers",
+			readme: "<!-- prerequisites:start -->\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:end -->\n",
+			expected: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "NestedH3Headings",
+			readme: "<!-- prerequisites:start -->\n" +
+				"## Prerequisites\n\n" +
+				"### Infrastructure\n\n" +
+				"Docker socket required.\n\n" +
+				"### Authentication\n\n" +
+				"Use kubeconfig.\n" +
+				"<!-- prerequisites:end -->\n",
+			expected: "## Prerequisites\n\n### Infrastructure\n\nDocker socket required.\n\n### Authentication\n\nUse kubeconfig.",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			result := templatebuilder.ExtractPrerequisites(tt.readme)
+			require.Equal(t, tt.expected, result)
+		})
+	}
+}
@@ -74,12 +74,13 @@ func (api *API) templateBuilderBases(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 		vars := baseVariablesToSDK(templatebuilder.BaseVariables(id))
 		bases = append(bases, codersdk.TemplateBuilderBase{
-			ID:          ex.ID,
-			Name:        ex.Name,
-			Description: ex.Description,
-			Icon:        ex.Icon,
-			OS:          string(templatebuilder.BaseTemplateOS(id)),
-			Variables:   vars,
+			ID:            ex.ID,
+			Name:          ex.Name,
+			Description:   ex.Description,
+			Icon:          ex.Icon,
+			OS:            string(templatebuilder.BaseTemplateOS(id)),
+			Variables:     vars,
+			Prerequisites: templatebuilder.BasePrerequisites(id),
 		})
 	}

@@ -422,7 +423,7 @@ func (api *API) templateBuilderCreateTemplate(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 			UpdatedAt:       dbtime.Now(),
 			Name:            versionName,
 			Message:         "",
-			Readme:          "",
+			Readme:          string(result.Readme),
 			JobID:           provisionerJob.ID,
 			CreatedBy:       apiKey.UserID,
 			SourceExampleID: sql.NullString{},