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Developer Documentation Guide

Write technical documentation that developers actually want to read.

Overview

Learn to create developer documentation that is:

  • Technically accurate
  • Easy to follow
  • Complete yet concise
  • Maintainable

Prerequisites

  • Programming experience
  • Understanding of your audience
  • Access to code/systems
  • Basic writing skills

Steps

1. Know Your Audience

Identify developer personas:

  • Skill level (junior/senior)
  • Language preferences
  • Use cases
  • Time constraints

2. Structure Your Documentation

Essential sections:

Quick Start

# Quick Start

1. Install: `npm install mypackage`
2. Import: `import { feature } from 'mypackage'`
3. Use: `feature.doSomething()`

API Reference

  • Complete method signatures
  • Parameter descriptions
  • Return values
  • Error conditions
  • Examples

Guides

  • Common use cases
  • Best practices
  • Integration patterns
  • Performance tips

3. Write Effective Code Examples

Good examples are:

  • Runnable
  • Focused
  • Well-commented
  • Error-handling included
// Good example
async function fetchUserData(userId) {
  try {
    // Validate input
    if (!userId) {
      throw new Error('userId is required');
    }

    // Make API call
    const response = await api.get(`/users/${userId}`);

    // Handle response
    return response.data;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Failed to fetch user:', error);
    throw error;
  }
}

4. Document APIs Thoroughly

Include for each endpoint/method:

  • Purpose
  • Parameters (type, required, defaults)
  • Return values
  • Errors/exceptions
  • Authentication requirements
  • Rate limits
  • Examples

5. Provide Context

Explain:

  • Why (not just how)
  • Architecture decisions
  • Trade-offs
  • Performance implications
  • Security considerations

6. Keep Documentation Current

Strategies:

  • Docs live with code
  • Update docs in same PR
  • Automated doc generation
  • Regular reviews
  • Version documentation

Documentation Types

README Files

  • Project overview
  • Installation
  • Quick examples
  • Links to full docs

API Documentation

  • Generated from code
  • Interactive explorers
  • Request/response examples

Tutorials

  • Step-by-step guides
  • Building something real
  • Progressive complexity

Architecture Docs

  • System design
  • Component relationships
  • Data flow
  • Decision records

Tools and Formats

Documentation Generators

  • JSDoc (JavaScript)
  • Sphinx (Python)
  • Javadoc (Java)
  • Swagger/OpenAPI

Platforms

  • GitHub Pages
  • Read the Docs
  • GitBook
  • Docusaurus

Formats

  • Markdown
  • reStructuredText
  • AsciiDoc

Best Practices

  1. Show, Don't Just Tell
  2. Include examples
  3. Provide sample projects

  4. Link to real usage

  5. Progressive Disclosure

  6. Start simple
  7. Add complexity gradually

  8. Link to advanced topics

  9. Searchable Content

  10. Clear headings
  11. Good metadata
  12. Descriptive titles

  13. Keywords

  14. Test Your Docs

  15. Code examples must run
  16. Instructions must work
  17. Regular validation

Common Mistakes

Avoid:

  • Assuming too much knowledge
  • Outdated examples
  • Missing error handling
  • Incomplete parameter docs
  • No versioning info

Quality Checklist

  • Can a new developer get started in 5 minutes?
  • Are all code examples tested?
  • Is API documentation complete?
  • Are common errors addressed?
  • Is documentation searchable?
  • Are versions clearly marked?

Next Steps

  • Review existing documentation
  • Set up documentation pipeline
  • Create templates
  • Gather developer feedback
  • Implement Continuous Documentation