Documentation Standards

Documentation Standards

1. Architecture Decision Records (ADR)

Purpose

Document significant architectural decisions, their context, and consequences.

Format

Use Markdown files in docs/adr/ directory. Number sequentially: 0001-decision-title.md.

Template

# [Number]. [Title]

Date: YYYY-MM-DD

## Status

[Proposed | Accepted | Deprecated | Superseded]

## Context

[Describe the issue motivating this decision]

## Decision

[Describe the change that we're proposing or have agreed to implement]

## Consequences

[Describe the resulting context, after applying the decision]

## Alternatives Considered

[Describe alternative approaches and why they were rejected]

Guidelines

• When to Create: For decisions that affect structure, dependencies, or significant technical choices.
• Status Updates: Update status when decisions are implemented, deprecated, or superseded.
• Cross-References: Link related ADRs. Reference issues/PRs when applicable.

2. Code Documentation

Inline Comments

• Purpose: Explain “why”, not “what”. Code should be self-documenting.
• Style: Use language-specific comment syntax. Keep comments concise.
• Complex Logic: Document non-obvious algorithms, business rules, and workarounds.

API Documentation

• Public APIs: All public functions, classes, methods, and interfaces must be documented.
• Format: Use language-standard documentation format (JSDoc, docstrings, JavaDoc, rustdoc).
• Required Tags: Include parameters, return values, exceptions/errors, and examples.

Example Standards

TypeScript/JavaScript:

/**
 * Creates a new user with validated email address.
 *
 * @param email - Valid email address (must match RFC 5322)
 * @param name - User's full name (non-null, non-empty)
 * @returns New User entity instance
 * @throws {InvalidEmailError} If email format is invalid
 */

Python:

def create_user(email: str, name: str) -> User:
    """Create a new user with validated email address.

    Args:
        email: Valid email address (must match RFC 5322)
        name: User's full name (non-null, non-empty)

    Returns:
        User entity instance.

    Raises:
        InvalidEmailError: If email format is invalid.
    """

3. Usage Documentation

README Files

Every package and application must include a README.md with:

• Purpose: What the component does
• Installation: Setup instructions
• Usage: Basic usage examples
• Configuration: Required environment variables and settings
• Development: How to contribute or extend

API Usage Guides

• Location: docs/usage/ directory
• Format: Markdown with code examples
• Sections: Quick start, common patterns, advanced usage, troubleshooting

CLI Documentation

• Help Text: Comprehensive --help output for all commands
• Man Pages: Generate man pages for complex CLIs
• Examples: Include practical examples in help text

4. Changelog Management

Format

Use Keep a Changelog format in CHANGELOG.md at project root.

Structure

# Changelog

## [Unreleased]

### Added
- New features

### Changed
- Changes to existing functionality

### Deprecated
- Soon-to-be removed features

### Removed
- Removed features

### Fixed
- Bug fixes

### Security
- Security vulnerability fixes

Guidelines

• Every PR: Update changelog for user-facing changes
• Categories: Use standard categories. Be specific about changes
• Links: Link to issues and PRs: [#123](https://github.com/user/repo/issues/123)
• Versioning: Follow semantic versioning. Tag releases with version numbers

Automated Changelog

• Tool: Use conventional-changelog or similar for automated generation
• Source: Generate from conventional commit messages
• Review: Always review and edit generated changelogs before release

5. Project Documentation

Project Overview

• Location: docs/README.md or root README.md
• Contents: Project purpose, architecture overview, getting started guide
• Audience: New contributors and users

Architecture Documentation

• Location: docs/architecture/
• Contents: System design, component diagrams, data flow, deployment architecture
• Format: Markdown with diagrams (Mermaid, PlantUML, or images)

Development Guides

• Location: docs/development/
• Contents: Setup instructions, development workflow, testing guidelines, contribution guide
• Audience: Developers working on the project

Deployment Documentation

• Location: docs/deployment/
• Contents: Deployment procedures, environment configuration, rollback procedures
• Security: Never include secrets or credentials

6. User Documentation

User Guides

• Location: docs/user-guide/ or separate documentation site
• Contents: Feature documentation, tutorials, FAQs
• Format: Markdown, HTML, or documentation framework (MkDocs, Docusaurus)

Tutorials

• Structure: Step-by-step guides with clear outcomes
• Examples: Include working code examples
• Prerequisites: Clearly state required knowledge and setup

API Reference

• Generation: Auto-generate from code documentation
• Tools: Use language-specific tools (Sphinx, JSDoc, rustdoc, JavaDoc)
• Hosting: Publish to documentation site or include in repository

7. Project Blog

Purpose

• Announcements: Release notes, major feature announcements
• Technical Deep Dives: Architecture decisions, implementation details
• Community: Team updates, community highlights

Content Guidelines

• Frequency: Regular but not mandatory (monthly or per major release)
• Style: Technical but accessible. Include code examples and diagrams
• Format: Markdown in docs/blog/ or separate blog repository
• Metadata: Include author, date, tags, and categories

Blog Structure

docs/blog/
├── 2024/
│   ├── 01-15-release-1.0.0.md
│   └── 02-20-architecture-deep-dive.md
└── index.md

8. Project Website

Purpose

• Landing Page: Project overview, key features, quick start
• Documentation: Hosted user and developer documentation
• Community: Links to resources, contribution guide, code of conduct

Technology

• Static Site: Use static site generators (Hugo, Jekyll, Docusaurus, MkDocs)
• Hosting: GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, or custom hosting
• CI/CD: Auto-deploy from documentation changes

Content

• Homepage: Clear value proposition, installation instructions, examples
• Documentation: Full user and developer documentation
• Blog: Project blog posts and announcements
• Community: Contribution guidelines, code of conduct, contact information

9. Documentation Maintenance

Review Process

• Code Reviews: Documentation changes reviewed alongside code
• Regular Audits: Quarterly review of documentation accuracy
• Outdated Content: Mark deprecated content clearly. Remove after deprecation period

Versioning

• Documentation Versions: Tag documentation with project versions
• Current vs. Historical: Clearly distinguish current and historical documentation
• Migration Guides: Provide guides for breaking changes

Accessibility

• Language: Clear, concise language. Avoid jargon when possible
• Structure: Use headings, lists, and formatting for readability
• Examples: Include diverse, realistic examples
• Search: Implement search functionality for large documentation sites

10. Documentation Tools

Recommended Tools

• Markdown Editors: VS Code, Typora, or any Markdown-capable editor
• Diagram Tools: Mermaid (text-based), PlantUML, or draw.io
• Documentation Generators:
  • Python: Sphinx
  • TypeScript/JavaScript: TypeDoc, JSDoc
  • Rust: rustdoc
  • Java: JavaDoc
• Static Site Generators: MkDocs, Docusaurus, Hugo, Jekyll

Automation

• CI/CD: Generate and deploy documentation automatically
• Link Checking: Validate internal and external links
• Spell Checking: Use automated spell checkers
• Format Validation: Ensure consistent formatting across documentation