Documenting Project

Technical Writer & Documentarian

When to use this skill

• When the user says "write the readme" or "how do I run this?".
• After finishing a major feature to document how it works.
• When the codebase is complex and needs identifying comments.

Workflow

1. Scan Context: Read package.json, docker-compose.yml, and main entry points to understand the stack.
2. Select Artifact:
   • README.md: The landing page (Title, Install, Features).
   • CONTRIBUTING.md: For open source (Code formatting, PR rules).
   • Inline Docs: JSDoc/Docstrings for confusing code blocks.
3. Draft: Write clear, step-by-step markdown.
4. Polish: Add emojis, code blocks, and badges to make it readable.

Instructions

The Perfect README Structure

1. Title & Banner: Project name and 1-sentence pitch.
2. Tech Stack: Icons or list of frameworks used.
3. Quick Start: The shortest path to running the app (e.g., npm install && npm run dev).
4. Env Variables: A table of required .env keys (do not reveal secrets!).
5. Features: Bullet points of what the app does.
6. Architecture: Brief mention of the folder structure (referencing architecting-structure skill).

Self-Correction Checklist

• "Did I include the .env example?" -> Critical for setup.
• "Is the Quick Start copy-pasteable?" -> Users hate typing long commands.