Documentation templates

Documentation Templates

Templates and structure guidelines for common documentation types.

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1. README Structure

Essential Sections (Priority Order)

Section	Purpose
Title + One-liner	What is this?
Quick Start	Running in <5 min
Features	What can I do?
Configuration	How to customize
API Reference	Link to detailed docs
Contributing	How to help
License	Legal

README Template

# Project Name

Brief one-line description.

## Quick Start

[Minimum steps to run]

## Features

- Feature 1
- Feature 2

## Configuration

| Variable | Description | Default |
|----------|-------------|---------|
| PORT | Server port | 3000 |

## Documentation

- [API Reference](./docs/api.md)
- [Architecture](./docs/architecture.md)

## License

MIT

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2. API Documentation Structure

Per-Endpoint Template

## GET /users/:id

Get a user by ID.

**Parameters:**
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| id | string | Yes | User ID |

**Response:**
- 200: User object
- 404: User not found

**Example:**
[Request and response example]

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3. Code Comment Guidelines

JSDoc/TSDoc Template

/**
 * Brief description of what the function does.
 * 
 * @param paramName - Description of parameter
 * @returns Description of return value
 * @throws ErrorType - When this error occurs
 * 
 * @example
 * const result = functionName(input);
 */

When to Comment

✅ Comment	❌ Don't Comment
Why (business logic)	What (obvious)
Complex algorithms	Every line
Non-obvious behavior	Self-explanatory code
API contracts	Implementation details

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4. Changelog Template (Keep a Changelog)

# Changelog

## [Unreleased]
### Added
- New feature

## [1.0.0] - 2025-01-01
### Added
- Initial release
### Changed
- Updated dependency
### Fixed
- Bug fix

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5. Architecture Decision Record (ADR)

# ADR-001: [Title]

## Status
Accepted / Deprecated / Superseded

## Context
Why are we making this decision?

## Decision
What did we decide?

## Consequences
What are the trade-offs?

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6. AI-Friendly Documentation (2025)

llms.txt Template

For AI crawlers and agents:

# Project Name
> One-line objective.

## Core Files
- [src/index.ts]: Main entry
- [src/api/]: API routes
- [docs/]: Documentation

## Key Concepts
- Concept 1: Brief explanation
- Concept 2: Brief explanation

MCP-Ready Documentation

For RAG indexing:

• Clear H1-H3 hierarchy
• JSON/YAML examples for data structures
• Mermaid diagrams for flows
• Self-contained sections

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7. Structure Principles

Principle	Why
Scannable	Headers, lists, tables
Examples first	Show, don't just tell
Progressive detail	Simple → Complex
Up to date	Outdated = misleading

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Remember: Templates are starting points. Adapt to your project's needs.