documentation-system

name	Documentation System
description	Standards for documenting codebases. Use when writing documentation, deciding where docs should go, reviewing doc quality, or updating docs after code changes. Covers folder structure, content guidelines, and maintenance workflows.

Documentation System

A system for writing clear, maintainable documentation optimized for both humans and AI navigation.

Core Philosophy

1. Document logic, not syntax - Explain how things work together, not what's obvious from code
2. Progressive disclosure - Overview first, details on demand
3. AI-navigable - Clear structure so AI can find and update the right docs
4. Minimal but complete - Include what's needed, nothing more

Folder Structure

Documentation lives in docs/ with three top-level folders:

docs/
├── index.md          # Entry point: what is this codebase, how to navigate
├── system/           # How the system works (capabilities, concepts, flows)
├── packages/         # Per-package documentation
└── guides/           # Task-oriented how-tos

Folder	Question It Answers
system/	"What does this system do? How does X work?"
packages/	"What does package Y do internally?"
guides/	"How do I accomplish Z?"

Each folder has an index.md with navigation links and descriptions.

When to Use Each Reference

Read these for detailed guidance:

Reference	When to Read
structure.md	Creating new docs, reorganizing, deciding where something goes
content.md	Writing or reviewing doc content, style questions
maintenance.md	Code changed, checking if docs need updates
templates/	Starting a new doc, need a concrete starting point

Quick Reference

Creating a New Doc

1. Determine type: system concept, package doc, or guide
2. Check if it should extend an existing doc instead
3. Use appropriate template from references/templates/
4. Add to relevant index.md navigation

Finding Existing Docs

1. Start at docs/index.md for overview
2. System-level concepts → docs/system/
3. Package specifics → docs/packages/[package-name].md
4. How-to instructions → docs/guides/

Updating Docs After Code Changes

1. Identify which docs reference the changed code
2. Check if descriptions are still accurate
3. Update code references (file paths, line numbers if used)
4. Don't remove content without checking cross-references

What NOT to Document

• Implementation details that change frequently
• Information obvious from well-named code
• Auto-generatable content (API signatures, type definitions)
• Speculative future plans (use project tracking instead)