Technical Documentation

Technical documentation is the process of creating clear, structured, and accessible written materials that explain how to use, maintain, or understand a technology, product, or system. It includes various formats such as API documentation, user manuals, tutorials, and internal guides, aimed at different audiences like developers, end-users, or stakeholders. Effective technical documentation enhances usability, reduces support costs, and ensures knowledge transfer within teams.

Also known as: Tech docs, Software documentation, Developer documentation, API docs, User manuals

Why learn Technical Documentation?

Developers should learn technical documentation skills to improve collaboration, facilitate onboarding of new team members, and create maintainable codebases with clear usage instructions. It is essential in roles involving open-source contributions, API development, or complex systems where clear communication reduces errors and accelerates development cycles. Mastery is particularly valuable in agile environments, DevOps practices, and when working with cross-functional teams.

Learning Resources

• course: Google Technical Writing Courses
• docs: Write the Docs Community
• tutorial: Documentation as Code with MkDocs
• book: The Docs Like Code Book
• docs: Technical Documentation Best Practices by Atlassian