Documentation As Code

Documentation as Code

Documentation as code involves the integration of documentation creation and maintenance within the coding process itself. This approach leverages the same tools utilized for coding tasks, such as version control systems, Markdown formatting, and automated review mechanisms.

By aligning documentation practices with established coding workflows, development and product teams can foster closer collaboration. Technical writers also gain early involvement in the documentation process.

This methodology streamlines the upkeep of technical documentation, as it evolves alongside the development process. Typically, developers initiate the documentation process, resulting in more accurate initial drafts.

Moreover, embedding documentation within automated review and testing frameworks enables the identification of undocumented code before integration. This process also facilitates the detection of formatting and stylistic errors, culminating in documentation that is both clearer and more consistent.

Advantages of a Documentation as Code Workflow

Several advantages accompany the adoption of a documentation as code workflow:

Maintaining Synchronization Between Documentation and Code

Simultaneously developing documentation alongside code ensures that production changes are accompanied by updated documentation. Outdated public-facing documentation can confuse users, while inaccurate internal documentation can impede new team members and increase technical debt.

Eliminating Context Switching

The integration of code and documentation within the same tool mitigates the disruption caused by switching between different platforms. This setup allows developers to seamlessly compose documentation within their preferred coding environment, enhancing workflow continuity.

Additionally, having documentation readily accessible alongside code facilitates targeted revisions and serves as a reminder to update documentation following code modifications.

Enhancing Team Collaboration

A documentation as code workflow encourages developers to contribute to documentation creation, alleviating the burden on technical writers. This collaborative approach not only improves documentation accuracy but also streamlines the overall process, particularly in larger projects with frequent code changes.

Leveraging Version Control and Automated Checks

Employing pull requests for documentation management enables collaborative review and maintains documentation quality. Automated checks within pull requests help identify formatting errors, broken links, and missing elements, enhancing documentation integrity effortlessly.

Streamlined Workflow

In a docs-as-code workflow, documentation tasks are seamlessly integrated into the development process. This involves writing documentation within the integrated development environment, collaborating with team members, utilizing version control for documentation, conducting automated quality checks, and following established review processes akin to code development.

Example Workflow for Documentation as Code

Here's an example workflow demonstrating the implementation of documentation as code within a team's processes:

1. Drafting in Markdown

Developers compose initial documentation drafts within their preferred integrated development environments, focusing on capturing essential information using Markdown for basic organization.

2. Collaboration with Technical Writers

Upon completing the initial draft, developers collaborate with technical writers for refinement, adhering to established style and formatting guidelines within version-controlled environments like GitHub or GitLab.

3. Review and Testing

Utilizing version control systems, team members conduct peer reviews and automated tests to ensure documentation quality, identifying and rectifying errors before publication.

4. Publishing and Automation

Finalized documentation, alongside code, is published using static site generators or dedicated documentation platforms, ensuring accessibility and synchronization with code repositories.

Static site generators can convert plain text into HTML, and allow for custom CSS style sheets and JavaScript additions, we recommend Material for MkDocs as it has a active open source community supprting it, and it is well deigned and engineered.