--- /dev/null
+# Overview
+The `cnitool` is a utility that can be used to test a CNI plugin
+without the need for a container runtime. The `cnitool` takes a
+`network name` and a `network namespace` and a command to `ADD` or
+`DEL`,.i.e, attach or detach containers from a network. The `cnitool`
+relies on the following environment variables to operate properly:
+* `NETCONFPATH`: This environment variable needs to be set to a
+ directory. It defaults to `/etc/cni/net.d`. The `cnitool` searches
+ for CNI configuration files in this directory with the extension
+ `*.conf` or `*.json`. It loads all the CNI configuration files in
+ this directory and if it finds a CNI configuration with the `network
+ name` given to the cnitool it returns the corresponding CNI
+ configuration, else it returns `nil`.
+
+* `CNI_PATH`: For a given CNI configuration `cnitool` will search for
+ the corresponding CNI plugin in this path.