documentation
Creates, structures, and reviews technical documentation following the Diátaxis framework (tutorials, how-to guides, reference, and explanation pages). Use when a user needs to write or reorganize docs, structure a tutorial vs. a how-to guide, build reference docs or API documentation, create explanation pages, choose between Diátaxis documentation types, or improve existing documentation structure. Trigger terms include: documentation structure, Diátaxis, tutorials vs how-to guides, organize docs, user guide, reference docs, technical writing.
Best use case
documentation is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Creates, structures, and reviews technical documentation following the Diátaxis framework (tutorials, how-to guides, reference, and explanation pages). Use when a user needs to write or reorganize docs, structure a tutorial vs. a how-to guide, build reference docs or API documentation, create explanation pages, choose between Diátaxis documentation types, or improve existing documentation structure. Trigger terms include: documentation structure, Diátaxis, tutorials vs how-to guides, organize docs, user guide, reference docs, technical writing.
Teams using documentation should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/documentation/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How documentation Compares
| Feature / Agent | documentation | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Creates, structures, and reviews technical documentation following the Diátaxis framework (tutorials, how-to guides, reference, and explanation pages). Use when a user needs to write or reorganize docs, structure a tutorial vs. a how-to guide, build reference docs or API documentation, create explanation pages, choose between Diátaxis documentation types, or improve existing documentation structure. Trigger terms include: documentation structure, Diátaxis, tutorials vs how-to guides, organize docs, user guide, reference docs, technical writing.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
## When to use
Use this skill when you need to create, review, or improve technical documentation following the Diátaxis framework. Examples include:
- Creating user guides
- API documentation
- Tutorial content
- Restructuring existing documentation to better serve different user needs and contexts
## Instructions
Organize documentation into four distinct types — tutorials, how-to guides, reference material, and explanations — each serving different user needs and contexts.
Always ask clarifying questions about the user's context, audience, and goals **before** creating documentation.
---
### Step 1 — Identify the documentation type
Use the following decision checklist based on user signals:
| User signal | Documentation type |
|---|---|
| "I'm new to X and want to learn it" / "walk me through" | **Tutorial** |
| "How do I…?" / "I need to accomplish X" | **How-to guide** |
| "What are the parameters/options/syntax for X?" | **Reference** |
| "Why does X work this way?" / "Help me understand X" | **Explanation** |
Quick decision tree:
- Is the user **learning by doing** for the first time? → Tutorial
- Do they need to **solve a specific problem** they already understand? → How-to guide
- Do they need **technical facts** to look up? → Reference
- Do they want **conceptual background**? → Explanation
---
### Step 2 — Apply type-specific patterns
#### Tutorials (learning-oriented)
- **Title pattern:** Start with a verb — *"Build your first X"*, *"Create a Y from scratch"*
- Structure: Goal → Prerequisites → Numbered steps → Immediate verifiable result at each step → Final outcome
- Minimise explanation; maximise doing
- Every step must produce a visible, testable result
- **Validation:** A beginner must be able to complete the tutorial without external help
**Example intro:**
> *"In this tutorial, you will build a simple REST API using Express. By the end, you will have a running server that responds to GET requests. No prior Express experience is needed."*
---
#### How-to guides (problem-oriented)
- **Title pattern:** Frame as a task — *"How to configure X"*, *"How to deploy Y to Z"*
- Structure: Goal statement → Assumptions/prerequisites → Numbered steps → Expected result
- Assume baseline knowledge; skip conceptual explanations
- Allow for variation; note alternatives where they exist
- **Validation:** An experienced user can complete the task without confusion or backtracking
**Example intro:**
> *"This guide shows how to add JWT authentication to an existing Express app. It assumes you have a working Express server and basic familiarity with middleware."*
---
#### Reference (information-oriented)
- **Title pattern:** Name the thing — *"Configuration options"*, *"API endpoints"*, *"CLI flags"*
- Structure: Consistent repeatable format per entry (name → type → default → description → example)
- State facts; avoid instruction beyond minimal usage examples
- Keep current; version-stamp if needed
- **Validation:** A user can look up a specific fact in under 30 seconds without reading surrounding content
**Example entry:**
> **`timeout`** *(integer, default: `5000`)*
> Maximum time in milliseconds to wait for a response before the request fails.
> *Example:* `{ timeout: 3000 }`
---
#### Explanations (understanding-oriented)
- **Title pattern:** Frame as a concept — *"How X works"*, *"Understanding Y"*, *"Why Z is designed this way"*
- Structure: Context → Core concept → Alternatives/trade-offs → Higher-level perspective
- Avoid step-by-step instruction or technical specification
- **Validation:** After reading, the user can explain the concept in their own words and understands the rationale behind design decisions
**Example intro:**
> *"Authentication and authorisation are often confused. This page explains the distinction, why both matter, and how common patterns (sessions, tokens, OAuth) approach each concern differently."*
---
### Step 3 — Maintain separation and integration
- Keep each document a single type — don't mix tutorial steps with reference tables or conceptual digressions
- Cross-link between types: a tutorial can link to the relevant reference page; a how-to guide can link to an explanation for background
- Use consistent headings and terminology across all types so users can navigate the full documentation system
---
### Step 4 — Validate before delivering
| Type | Validation check |
|---|---|
| Tutorial | Can a beginner complete it end-to-end without external help? |
| How-to guide | Does it solve the stated problem for an experienced user? |
| Reference | Can the user find a specific fact in under 30 seconds? |
| Explanation | Does the user understand the *why*, not just the *what*? |Related Skills
golang-documentation
Comprehensive documentation guide for Golang projects, covering godoc comments, README, CONTRIBUTING, CHANGELOG, Go Playground, Example tests, API docs, and llms.txt. Use when writing or reviewing doc comments, documentation, adding code examples, setting up doc sites, or discussing documentation best practices. Triggers for both libraries and applications/CLIs.
Goal: Build an LLM-based RAG App
Here is the MVP Implementation Plan.
You are a professional Landing page designer who is very friendly and supportive.
Your task is to guide a beginner through planning and designing a landing page or personal portfolio.
You are a professional Chief Marketing Officer. Your task is to help a user start and grow their social media presence organically through a series of questions and generate a growthplan.md blueprint.
Follow these instructions:
Convert this into a web based slide deck using reveal.js.
Use the following brand colour and logo.
technical-article-writer
Write compelling technical articles and blog posts for developer audiences. Use this skill whenever the user asks to write a blog post, technical article, or any long-form technical content. Also trigger when the user says 'write about [technical topic]', 'help me draft an article', 'turn this into a blog post', 'write a post about', 'I want to publish something about', or mentions writing for a developer audience. Covers the full pipeline: idea sharpening, hook/title generation, article structure, body drafting, and editing. Even if the user just says 'I want to write about X' without specifying format, use this skill. Do NOT use for platform-specific optimization, newsletter strategy, or ghostwriting voice matching.
substack-ghostwriting
Write, optimize, and grow Substack content — both newsletter issues (email-first) and web posts (web-first articles/essays). Covers ghostwriting with voice matching, Substack algorithm optimization, Notes strategy, email formatting, SEO, growth tactics, and monetization planning. Use when the user mentions Substack, newsletters, write a newsletter issue, Substack post, Substack article, web post on Substack, evergreen content, SEO for Substack, newsletter growth, Notes strategy, ghostwrite for, match someone's voice, write in the style of, newsletter monetization, paid subscribers, or any task involving Substack as a platform. Also trigger for general article/newsletter writing even if Substack isn't named explicitly, or when the user wants to adapt existing content (blog post, talk, thread) into newsletter or web post format. Do NOT use for generic blog post writing without a newsletter/Substack context (-> See samber/cc-skills@technical-article-writer skill).
press-release-writer
Write professional press releases for any occasion, media type, and country. Use when the user wants to write, draft, or improve a press release, communiqué de presse, media announcement, news release, or PR statement — including product launches, funding rounds, partnerships, crisis communications, earnings, executive hires, events, M&A, open source milestones, and media advisories. Covers all release types, media targets (print, digital/wire, broadcast, social/SMPR, trade press), and region-specific conventions (Western/Eastern Europe, Americas, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Oceania). Also trigger when the user says 'I need to announce something' or 'how do I tell the press about X.'
Use this skill whenever the user wants to do anything with PDF files. This includes reading or extracting text/tables from PDFs, combining or merging multiple PDFs into one, splitting PDFs apart, rotating pages, adding watermarks, creating new PDFs, filling PDF forms, encrypting/decrypting PDFs, extracting images, and OCR on scanned PDFs to make them searchable. If the user mentions a .pdf file or asks to produce one, use this skill.
linkedin-ghostwriting
B2B LinkedIn ghostwriting — strategic interview, hook engineering, and post body. Use when the user wants to write LinkedIn content, create ghostwritten posts, ghostwrite for a founder or executive, develop a B2B social strategy, or needs hooks, post structures, or copywriting frameworks for LinkedIn. Apply when the user shares a story, result, or insight and wants it turned into a post.
docx
Use this skill whenever the user wants to create, read, edit, or manipulate Word documents (.docx files). Triggers include: any mention of 'Word doc', 'word document', '.docx', or requests to produce professional documents with formatting like tables of contents, headings, page numbers, or letterheads. Also use when extracting or reorganizing content from .docx files, inserting or replacing images in documents, performing find-and-replace in Word files, working with tracked changes or comments, or converting content into a polished Word document. If the user asks for a 'report', 'memo', 'letter', 'template', or similar deliverable as a Word or .docx file, use this skill. Do NOT use for PDFs, spreadsheets, Google Docs, or general coding tasks unrelated to document generation.
doc-coauthoring
Guide users through a structured workflow for co-authoring documentation. Use when user wants to write documentation, proposals, technical specs, decision docs, or similar structured content. This workflow helps users efficiently transfer context, refine content through iteration, and verify the doc works for readers. Trigger when user mentions writing docs, creating proposals, drafting specs, or similar documentation tasks.