Traditional Documentation
Traditional documentation is a methodology for creating and maintaining written materials that describe software systems, processes, or products, typically in static formats like text documents, wikis, or PDFs. It focuses on comprehensive, formal, and often manually updated content to provide detailed explanations, specifications, and instructions for users, developers, or stakeholders. This approach emphasizes thoroughness and structure, often produced as a separate artifact from the codebase.
Developers should learn and use traditional documentation when working on projects requiring regulatory compliance, long-term maintenance, or complex systems where detailed specifications are critical, such as in enterprise software, medical devices, or financial applications. It is essential for onboarding new team members, ensuring consistency across large teams, and providing clear reference materials for external users or auditors, as it offers a stable and authoritative source of information that can be reviewed and approved formally.