methodology

Manual Documentation

Manual documentation is the process of creating, maintaining, and organizing written materials that describe software systems, APIs, codebases, or processes without relying on automated tools for content generation. It involves human-authored text, diagrams, and examples to explain functionality, usage, and architecture. This approach is often used for user guides, technical specifications, and internal knowledge bases to ensure clarity and context.

Also known as: Hand-written documentation, Human-authored docs, Non-automated documentation, Traditional documentation, Manual docs

🧊Why learn Manual Documentation?

Developers should learn manual documentation to improve communication, facilitate onboarding, and maintain project knowledge, especially in complex or legacy systems where automated tools may not capture nuanced details. It is crucial for creating user-facing documentation, API references, and design documents that require human interpretation and storytelling, such as in open-source projects or enterprise software with diverse stakeholders.