# Documentation

Creates, structures, and reviews technical documentation following the Diátaxis...

- Repository: https://github.com/mcollina/skills (1960 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-27
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add mcollina/skills --skill documentation -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add mcollina/skills --skill documentation -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add mcollina/skills --skill documentation -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add mcollina/skills --skill documentation -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

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.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

## 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

The rest: https://github.com/mcollina/skills/blob/HEAD/skills/documentation/SKILL.md