diff --git a/.gersemirc b/.gersemirc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..42fe7a3db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gersemirc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/BlankSpruce/gersemi/0.17.0/gersemi/configuration.schema.json
+
+definitions: ["cmake"]
+indent: 4
+line_length: 100
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index fb11b0562..61cf741c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         python3 -m venv ./gersemi
         . ./gersemi/bin/activate
-        python3 -m pip install gersemi
+        python3 -m pip install gersemi==0.17
     - name: Run gersemi
       run: |
         . ./gersemi/bin/activate
-        gersemi --line-length 100 --indent 4 --check cmake/DDCVendorConfiguration.cmake
-        find CMakeLists.txt tests/ examples/ benchmarks/ -name 'CMakeLists.txt' -exec gersemi --definitions $PWD/cmake --line-length 100 --indent 4 --check '{}' '+'
+        gersemi --check cmake/DDCVendorConfiguration.cmake
+        find CMakeLists.txt tests/ examples/ benchmarks/ -name 'CMakeLists.txt' -exec gersemi --check '{}' '+'
 
   id_repo:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cf6dfc96f..cd4ee170e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,3 +37,28 @@ cd ddc
 cmake -B build -D DDC_BUILD_KERNELS_FFT=OFF -D DDC_BUILD_KERNELS_SPLINES=OFF -D DDC_BUILD_PDI_WRAPPER=OFF
 cmake --build build
 ```
+
+## Contributing
+
+### Formatting
+
+The project makes use of formatting tools for the C++ ([clang-format](https://clang.llvm.org/docs/ClangFormat.html)) and cmake ([gersemi](https://github.com/BlankSpruce/gersemi)) files. The formatting must be applied for a PR to be accepted.
+
+To format a cmake file, please apply the command
+
+```bash
+gersemi -i the-cmake-file
+```
+
+One can find the formatting style in the file `.gersemirc`.
+
+To format a C++ file, please apply the command
+
+```bash
+clang-format -i the-cpp-file
+```
+
+One can find the formatting style in the file `.clang-format`.
+
+> [!WARNING]
+> The formatting might not give the same result with different versions of a tool.