documentation-templates

name	documentation-templates
description	Use when writing documentation, creating READMEs, drafting API docs, or structuring project documentation for AI readability.
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep

Documentation Templates

Templates and structure guidelines for common documentation types.

---

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

---

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]

---

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

---

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

---

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Accepted / Deprecated / Superseded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?

---

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

---

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

---

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