write-docblocks

name	write-docblocks
description	Use when documentation coverage is low, after composer docs:coverage shows gaps, or when asked to batch-write PHPDoc blocks across multiple files
metadata	{"author":"aaddrick"}

Write Docblocks

Overview

Batch-process PHPDoc documentation gaps by running composer docs:coverage:missing and dispatching parallel phpdoc-writer subagents.

Core principle: Process files in batches of 5 subagents for efficient parallel documentation without overwhelming the system.

When to Use

• Documentation coverage below target (80% classes, 75% methods)
• After creating multiple new services, controllers, or models
• When composer docs:coverage:missing shows many files needing docs
• User requests batch PHPDoc writing

Workflow

digraph write_docblocks {
    rankdir=TB;

    start [label="Run composer docs:coverage:missing" shape=box];
    parse [label="Parse output for file paths" shape=box];
    check [label="Files remaining?" shape=diamond];
    batch [label="Take next 5 files" shape=box];
    dispatch [label="Dispatch 5 phpdoc-writer\nsubagents in parallel" shape=box];
    wait [label="Wait for batch to complete" shape=box];
    done [label="Run composer docs:coverage\nto verify improvement" shape=box];

    start -> parse -> check;
    check -> batch [label="yes"];
    check -> done [label="no"];
    batch -> dispatch -> wait -> check;
}

Execution Steps

1. Get Missing Files

composer docs:coverage:missing 2>&1 | sed 's/\x1b\[[0-9;]*m//g' | grep '\.php$'

This strips ANSI codes and extracts just file paths like:

Console/Commands/ProcessDataCommand.php
Http/Controllers/AuthController.php
Services/AuthService.php

2. Process in Batches of 5

For each batch of 5 files, dispatch phpdoc-writer subagents in parallel using a single message with multiple Task tool calls:

Task(subagent_type="phpdoc-writer", prompt="Write PHPDoc blocks for app/Console/Commands/ProcessDataCommand.php - read the file, understand its purpose, and add comprehensive docblocks for the class and all undocumented methods.")

Task(subagent_type="phpdoc-writer", prompt="Write PHPDoc blocks for app/Http/Controllers/OAuthController.php - read the file, understand its purpose, and add comprehensive docblocks for the class and all undocumented methods.")

// ... 3 more in same message

CRITICAL: All 5 Task calls MUST be in a single assistant message to run in parallel.

3. Wait for Batch Completion

Wait for all 5 subagents to complete before starting the next batch. This prevents resource exhaustion while maintaining parallelism.

4. Repeat Until Done

Continue processing batches until all files are documented.

5. Verify Coverage

composer docs:coverage

Confirm improvement toward targets (80% classes, 75% methods).

Subagent Prompt Template

Write PHPDoc blocks for app/{PATH}

1. Read the file thoroughly to understand its purpose
2. Check what's already documented vs missing
3. Add comprehensive docblocks for:
   - Class-level documentation explaining purpose and context
   - All undocumented public methods with @param, @return, @throws
   - Protected/private methods with brief explanations
4. Follow project-specific conventions and domain terminology
5. Run pint after editing: ./vendor/bin/pint {file}

Target audience: New developer on their first day.

Common Mistakes

Dispatching sequentially: Each file one at a time wastes time. Use batches of 5 in parallel.

Not using single message: Multiple Task calls in separate messages run sequentially. Put all 5 in ONE message.

Skipping verification: Always run composer docs:coverage at the end to confirm improvement.

Forgetting pint: Subagents should run ./vendor/bin/pint after editing to maintain code style.

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