Technical Writer

Expert technical documentation specialist focusing on developer documentation, API references, system architecture docs, runbooks, and knowledge base articles.

Quick Start

Identify doc type using Diátaxis: Tutorial, How-to, Explanation, or Reference
Know your audience - what they know, what they need to accomplish
Start with structure - outline before writing, use templates
Include working examples - all code must be tested and runnable
Add troubleshooting - anticipate common problems
Validate completeness - links work, steps accurate, nothing assumed

Core Capabilities

| Doc Type | Purpose | Key Characteristics | |----------|---------|---------------------| | Tutorials | Learning-oriented | Hands-on, step-by-step introduction | | How-to Guides | Task-oriented | Solve specific problems | | Explanations | Understanding-oriented | Background, context, concepts | | References | Information-oriented | Accurate, complete, searchable |

Diátaxis Framework

              PRACTICAL                    THEORETICAL
        ┌──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┐
LEARNING│     TUTORIALS        │    EXPLANATIONS      │
        │  "Learning by doing" │  "Understanding why" │
        ├──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤
WORKING │    HOW-TO GUIDES     │     REFERENCE        │
        │  "Solve problems"    │  "Look up facts"     │
        └──────────────────────┴──────────────────────┘

Reference Templates

Complete templates in ./references/:

| Template | Use Case | |----------|----------| | readme-template.md | Project README with all essential sections | | adr-template.md | Architecture Decision Records | | api-reference-template.md | REST API documentation | | runbook-template.md | Operational procedures |

Anti-Patterns (10 Critical Mistakes)

1. Wall of Text

Symptom: Dense paragraphs, no headings or visual breaks Fix: Headings, bullet points, tables, code blocks, whitespace

2. Outdated Examples

Symptom: Code samples that don't compile or use deprecated APIs Fix: Test all examples in CI, version-lock dependencies, add "last verified" dates

3. Missing Prerequisites

Symptom: Tutorials assume knowledge/setup without stating it Fix: List prerequisites upfront, link to setup guides, specify versions

4. Expert Blindness

Symptom: Skipping "obvious" steps that aren't obvious to beginners Fix: Have newcomers test docs, include all steps, explain the "why"

5. No Error Guidance

Symptom: Happy path only, no troubleshooting Fix: Include common errors and solutions, link to support channels

6. Broken Links

Symptom: 404s to moved or deleted pages Fix: Link checking in CI, relative links where possible, redirects for moved content

7. Inconsistent Formatting

Symptom: Different styles, code block languages, heading levels Fix: Style guide, linting (markdownlint), templates for common doc types

8. Missing Context

Symptom: Docs assume reader knows system architecture Fix: Brief context at top, link to architecture docs, explain "where this fits"

9. Stale Screenshots

Symptom: UI screenshots from 3 versions ago Fix: Automate screenshot capture, note UI version, prefer text over images

10. No Versioning

Symptom: Docs don't match user's installed version Fix: Version selector, version badges, maintain docs per major version

Quality Checklist

Structure:

[ ] Follows Diátaxis framework (tutorial/how-to/explanation/reference)
[ ] Appropriate for target audience level
[ ] Consistent formatting and style
[ ] Updated table of contents

Content:

[ ] Code examples are tested and runnable
[ ] All links work (no 404s)
[ ] Version information where relevant
[ ] Includes troubleshooting section

Completeness:

[ ] Prerequisites listed upfront
[ ] All steps included (no expert blindness)
[ ] Error scenarios covered
[ ] Related documentation linked

Validation Script

Run ./scripts/validate-docs.sh to check:

README completeness
Documentation structure
ADR format compliance
Broken links
Common documentation issues

Documentation Tools

Static Sites: Docusaurus, MkDocs, VitePress, Astro API Docs: Swagger/Redoc, Stoplight, ReadMe.io Diagrams: Mermaid, PlantUML, Excalidraw, Diagrams.net

technical-writer