docs(README): minor changes to README.md

README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 ![Stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/Kong/kong?style=flat-square) ![GitHub commit activity](https://img.shields.io/github/commit-activity/m/Kong/kong?style=flat-square) ![Docker Pulls](https://img.shields.io/docker/pulls/_/kong?style=flat-square) [![Build Status][badge-action-image]][badge-action-url] ![Version](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/Kong/kong?color=green&label=Version&style=flat-square)  ![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache%202.0-blue?style=flat-square)  ![Twitter Follow](https://img.shields.io/twitter/follow/thekonginc?style=social)
 
-
 **Kong** or **Kong API Gateway** is a cloud-native, platform-agnostic, scalable API Gateway distinguished for its high performance and extensibility via plugins. It also provides advanced AI capabilities with multi-LLM support.
 
 By providing functionality for proxying, routing, load balancing, health checking, authentication (and [more](#features)), Kong serves as the central layer for orchestrating microservices or conventional API traffic with ease.
@@ -17,23 +16,23 @@ Kong runs natively on Kubernetes thanks to its official [Kubernetes Ingress Cont
 
 ## Getting Started
 
-If you prefer to use a cloud-hosted Kong, you can [sign up for a free trial of Kong Konnect](https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect/register?utm_medium=Referral&utm_source=Github&utm_campaign=kong-gateway&utm_content=konnect-promo-in-gateway&utm_term=get-started) and get started in minutes. If not, you can follow the instructions below to get started with Kong on your own infrastructure.
+If you prefer to use a cloud-hosted Kong, you can [sign up for a free trial of Kong Konnect](https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect/register?utm_medium=Referral&utm_source=Github&utm_campaign=kong-gateway&utm_content=konnect-promo-in-gateway&utm_term=get-started) and get started in minutes. If not, you can follow the instructions below to get started with Kong on your infrastructure.
 
 Let’s test drive Kong by adding authentication to an API in under 5 minutes.
 
-We suggest using the docker-compose distribution via the instructions below, but there is also a [docker installation](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/install/docker/#install-kong-gateway-in-db-less-mode) procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong API Gateway in DB-less mode.
+We suggest using the docker-compose distribution via the instructions below, but there is also a [docker installation](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/install/docker/#install-kong-gateway-in-db-less-mode) procedure if you prefer to run the Kong API Gateway without the DB.
 
-Whether you’re running in the cloud, on bare metal, or using containers, you can find every supported distribution on our [official installation](https://konghq.com/install/#kong-community) page.
+Whether it's running in the cloud, on bare metal, or using containers, you can find every supported distribution on our [official installation](https://konghq.com/install/#kong-community) page.
 
 1) To start, clone the Docker repository and navigate to the compose folder.
-```cmd
-  $ git clone https://github.com/Kong/docker-kong
-  $ cd docker-kong/compose/
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/Kong/docker-kong
+cd docker-kong/compose/
 ```
 
 2) Start the Gateway stack using:
-```cmd
-  $ KONG_DATABASE=postgres docker-compose --profile database up
+```bash
+KONG_DATABASE=postgres docker-compose --profile database up
 ```
 
 The Gateway is now available on the following ports on localhost:
@@ -50,12 +49,12 @@ Next, follow the [quick start guide](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway-oss/latest/
 By centralizing common API functionality across all your organization's services, the Kong API Gateway creates more freedom for engineering teams to focus on the challenges that matter most.
 
 The top Kong features include:
-- Advanced routing, load balancing, health checking - all configurable via a RESTful admin API or declarative configuration.
-- Authentication and authorization for APIs using methods like JWT, basic auth, OAuth, ACLs and more.
+- Advanced routing, load balancing, and health checking - all configurable via a RESTful admin API or declarative configuration.
+- Authentication and authorization for APIs using methods like JWT, basic auth, OAuth, ACLs, etc.
 - Proxy, SSL/TLS termination, and connectivity support for L4 or L7 traffic.
-- Plugins for enforcing traffic controls, rate limiting, req/res transformations, logging, monitoring and including a plugin developer hub.
-- Plugins for AI traffic to support multi-LLM implementations and no-code AI use cases, with advanced AI prompt engineering, AI observability, AI security and more.
-- Sophisticated deployment models like Declarative Databaseless Deployment and Hybrid Deployment (control plane/data plane separation) without any vendor lock-in.
+- Plugins for enforcing traffic controls, rate limiting, req/res transformations, logging, monitoring, and including a plugin developer hub.
+- Plugins for AI traffic to support multi-LLM implementations and no-code AI use cases, with advanced AI prompt engineering, AI observability, AI security, and more.
+- Sophisticated deployment models like Declarative Databaseless Deployment and Hybrid Deployment (control plane/data plane separation) without vendor lock-in.
 - Native [ingress controller](https://github.com/Kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller) support for serving Kubernetes.
 
 [![][kong-benefits]][kong-url]
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ Contribute to the Plugin Hub and ensure your next innovative idea is published a
 
 ## Contributing
 
-We ❤️ pull requests, and we’re continually working hard to make it as easy as possible for developers to contribute. Before beginning development with the Kong API Gateway, please familiarize yourself with the following developer resources:
+We ❤️ pull requests, and are working hard to make it as easy as possible for developers to contribute. Before beginning development with the Kong API Gateway, please familiarize yourself with the following developer resources:
 - Community Pledge ([COMMUNITY_PLEDGE.md](COMMUNITY_PLEDGE.md)) for our pledge to interact with you, the open source community.
 - Contributor Guide ([CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)) to learn about how to contribute to Kong.
 - Development Guide ([DEVELOPER.md](DEVELOPER.md)): Setting up your development environment.
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ Use the [Plugin Development Guide](https://docs.konghq.com/latest/plugin-develop
 
 ## Releases
 
-Please see the [Changelog](CHANGELOG.md) for more details about a given release. The [SemVer Specification](https://semver.org) is followed when versioning Gateway releases.
+Please see the [Changelog](CHANGELOG.md) for more details about a release. The [SemVer Specification](https://semver.org) is followed when versioning Gateway releases.
 
 ## Join the Community
 
@@ -92,7 +91,7 @@ Please see the [Changelog](CHANGELOG.md) for more details about a given release.
 
 ## Konnect Cloud
 
-Kong Inc. offers commercial subscriptions that enhance the Kong API Gateway in a variety of ways. Customers of Kong's [Konnect Cloud](https://konghq.com/kong-konnect/) subscription take advantage of additional gateway functionality, commercial support, and access to Kong's managed (SaaS) control plane platform. The Konnect Cloud platform features include real-time analytics, a service catalog, developer portals, and so much more! [Get started](https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect/register?utm_medium=Referral&utm_source=Github&utm_campaign=kong-gateway&utm_content=konnect-promo-in-gateway&utm_term=get-started) with Konnect Cloud.
+Kong Inc. offers commercial subscriptions that enhance the Kong API Gateway in many ways. Customers of Kong's [Konnect Cloud](https://konghq.com/kong-konnect/) subscription take advantage of additional gateway functionality, commercial support, and access to Kong's managed (SaaS) control plane platform. The Konnect Cloud platform features include real-time analytics, a service catalog, developer portals, and so much more! [Get started](https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect/register?utm_medium=Referral&utm_source=Github&utm_campaign=kong-gateway&utm_content=konnect-promo-in-gateway&utm_term=get-started) with Konnect Cloud.
 
 ## License