When I first started working on OSS projects, I really struggled with documentation. But after a lot of trial and error, I learned a lot about writing clear and helpful docs. Working on several OSS projects has also taught me just how essential good documentation is to the success of a project. So, I’d like to share with you some of the tips that have helped me improve (in the hope that they will save you the same headaches I’ve experienced lol):
- Guide first: Start with simple guides that focus on common use cases to help users get started quickly.
- Show, don’t tell: Use screenshots & screencasts early & often to visually demonstrate features.
- More code than text: Prioritize clear, working code examples over lengthy text explanations.
- Use plausible data: Craft realistic data in examples to help users better relate & apply them to their projects. I use faker.js for this.
- Examples as stories: Write examples in Storybook to ensure accuracy & consistency between code & visuals.
- The reference follows the guide: If an advanced user is looking for all possible options of a component, they can find them in the same place as the guide.
- Pages can be scanned quickly: Break content into short, digestible sections for quick navigation and easy reading.
How do you approach documentation in your projects?
Exactly. Llms can output code, but they don't understand long-term intent. As llm usage grows, engineers who truly understand the system become more valuable, not less. Knowing which changes are safe and why decisions were made is now an even more critical skill. It's the backbone of any resilient system.