diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1d4e62727..34710c626 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,51 +12,9 @@ Atom will automatically update when a new release is available.
 
 ## Building
 
-
-### OS X Requirements
-  * OS X 10.8 or later
-  * [node.js](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
-  * Command Line Tools for [Xcode](https://developer.apple.com/xcode/downloads/) (run `xcode-select --install` to install)
-
-  ```sh
-  git clone https://github.com/atom/atom
-  cd atom
-  script/build # Creates application at /Applications/Atom.app
-  ```
-
-### Linux Requirements
-  * Ubuntu LTS 12.04 64-bit is the recommended platform
-  * OS with 64-bit architecture
-  * [node.js](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
-  * [npm](http://www.npmjs.org/) v1.4.x
-  * `sudo apt-get install libgnome-keyring-dev`
-  * `npm config set python /usr/bin/python2 -g` to ensure that gyp uses Python 2
-
-  ```sh
-  git clone https://github.com/atom/atom
-  cd atom
-  script/build # Creates application at /tmp/atom-build/Atom
-  sudo script/grunt install # Installs command to /usr/local/bin/atom
-  script/grunt mkdeb # Generates a .deb package at /tmp/atom-build
-  ```
-
-### Windows Requirements
-  * Windows 7 or later
-  * [Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Express](http://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/downloads/download-visual-studio-vs#DownloadFamilies_4)
-  * [node.js - 32bit](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
-  * [Python 2.7.x](http://www.python.org/download/)
-  * [GitHub for Windows](http://windows.github.com/)
-  * [Git for Windows](http://git-scm.com/download/win)
-    * Select the option **Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt** when installing (Git needs to be in your `PATH`)
-  * Clone [atom/atom](https://github.com/atom/atom/) to `C:\Users\<user>\github\atom\`
-  * Add `C:\Python27;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Users\<user>\github\atom\node_modules\`
-    to your PATH
-  * Open the Windows GitHub shell
-
-  ```bat
-  cd C:\Users\<user>\github\atom
-  script\build
-  ```
+* [Linux](docs/build-instructions/linux.md)
+* [OS X](docs/build-instructions/os-x.md)
+* [Windows](docs/build-instructions/windows.md)
 
 ## Developing
 Check out the [guides](https://atom.io/docs/latest) and the [API reference](https://atom.io/docs/api).
diff --git a/docs/build-instructions/linux.md b/docs/build-instructions/linux.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd68ab6ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/build-instructions/linux.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Linux
+
+Ubuntu LTS 12.04 64-bit is the recommended platform.
+
+## Requirements
+
+  * OS with 64-bit architecture
+  * [node.js](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
+  * [npm](http://www.npmjs.org/) v1.4.x  
+  * libgnome-keyring-dev `sudo apt-get install libgnome-keyring-dev`
+  * `npm config set python /usr/bin/python2 -g` to ensure that gyp uses Python 2
+
+## Instructions
+
+  ```sh
+  git clone https://github.com/atom/atom
+  cd atom
+  script/build # Creates application at /tmp/atom-build/Atom
+  sudo script/grunt install # Installs command to /usr/local/bin/atom
+  script/grunt mkdeb # Generates a .deb package at /tmp/atom-build
+  ```
+
+## Troubleshooting
diff --git a/docs/build-instructions/os-x.md b/docs/build-instructions/os-x.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..26a32ca68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/build-instructions/os-x.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# OS X
+
+## Requirements
+
+  * OS X 10.8 or later
+  * [node.js](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
+  * Command Line Tools for [Xcode](https://developer.apple.com/xcode/downloads/) (run `xcode-select --install` to install)
+
+## Instructions
+
+  ```sh
+  git clone https://github.com/atom/atom
+  cd atom
+  script/build # Creates application at /Applications/Atom.app
+  ```
+
+## Troubleshooting
diff --git a/docs/build-instructions/windows.md b/docs/build-instructions/windows.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab4c29336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/build-instructions/windows.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Windows
+
+## Requirements
+
+  * Windows 7 or later
+  * [Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Express](http://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/downloads/download-visual-studio-vs#DownloadFamilies_4)
+  * [node.js - 32bit](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
+  * [Python 2.7.x](http://www.python.org/download/)
+  * [GitHub for Windows](http://windows.github.com/)
+  * [Git for Windows](http://git-scm.com/download/win)
+    * Select the option **Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt** when installing (Git needs to be in your `PATH`)  
+  * Add `C:\Python27;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Users\<user>\github\atom\node_modules\`
+    to your PATH
+
+## Instructions
+
+  ```bat
+  cd C:\Users\<user>\github
+  git clone https://github.com/atom/atom/
+  cd atom
+  script\build
+  ```
+
+## Troubleshooting