Company
Date Published
Author
Nikola Balić
Word count
1078
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Good documentation provides 24/7 support by enabling users to self-serve information to resolve issues independently, thereby deflecting support tickets and minimizing inquiries. It accelerates onboarding for new team members by mapping out key processes, APIs, code conventions, and best practices, helping them find their footing faster. Robust documentation preserves team knowledge by capturing intricate insights accumulated through years of experience, ensuring continuity even after personnel changes. To create impactful documentation, start early, evolve often, speak your users' language, turn abstract concepts into concrete examples, implement a consistent writing style, make documentation visible and discoverable, continuously gather user feedback, store it alongside code for easy updates, and empower users to contribute. By doing so, high-quality technical documentation saves time and resources while providing immense value across the product development lifecycle.