Technical Tutorials

Technical Tutorials

When to Use

Use this skill when you need when the user wants to create step-by-step technical tutorials, quickstarts, or code walkthroughs. Trigger phrases include "tutorial," "quickstart," "getting started guide," "walkthrough," "step by step," "how to guide," "hands-on guide," or "code tutorial.".

This skill helps you create step-by-step tutorials that actually work. Covers prerequisite handling, progressive complexity, troubleshooting sections, and creating those satisfying "it works!" moments.

Before You Start

Load your audience context first. Read .agents/developer-audience-context.md to understand:

• Developer skill level (beginner, intermediate, senior)
• Tech stack familiarity (what can you assume they know?)
• Environment (macOS, Linux, Windows, cloud)
• Why they're learning (job, side project, curiosity)

If the context file doesn't exist, run the developer-audience-context skill first.

Tutorial Types

The Tutorial Structure

Anatomy of a Great Tutorial

1. Title & Meta
   - What you'll build
   - Time estimate
   - Prerequisites

2. Overview
   - What you'll learn
   - Final result preview

3. Prerequisites Check
   - Environment setup
   - Verification commands

4. The Build (Progressive Steps)
   - Step 1: Simplest foundation
   - Step 2: Add one concept
   - Step 3: Add complexity
   - [Checkpoint: "It works!" moment]
   - Step 4: Continue building
   - ...
   - [Final checkpoint]

5. What You Built
   - Recap
   - Complete code

6. Troubleshooting
   - Common errors
   - Debugging tips

7. Next Steps
   - Where to go from here
   - Related tutorials

Prerequisites Handling

The Prerequisites Section

Be explicit. Don't make developers guess what they need.

## Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

| Requirement | Version | Check Command |
|-------------|---------|---------------|
| Node.js | 18+ | `node --version` |
| npm | 9+ | `npm --version` |
| Git | Any | `git --version` |

You should also be comfortable with:
- Basic JavaScript (variables, functions, async/await)
- Command line basics (cd, mkdir, running commands)
- REST API concepts (HTTP methods, JSON)

**New to any of these?** Check out [link to prerequisite tutorial].

Environment Setup Section

Make setup foolproof:

## Setting Up Your Environment

### 1. Create Project Directory

\`\`\`bash
mkdir my-awesome-project
cd my-awesome-project
\`\`\`

### 2. Initialize the Project

\`\`\`bash
npm init -y
\`\`\`

You should see output like:
\`\`\`json
{
  "name": "my-awesome-project",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  ...
}
\`\`\`

### 3. Install Dependencies

\`\`\`bash
npm install express dotenv
\`\`\`

### 4. Verify Installation

\`\`\`bash
node -e "require('express'); console.log('Express installed!')"
\`\`\`

Expected output: `Express installed!`

Progressive Complexity

The Layer Cake Approach

Build up in understandable layers:

Show Progress, Not Perfection

Wrong approach (overwhelming):

// Here's the complete file with everything
const express = require('express');
const { Pool } = require('pg');
const helmet = require('helmet');
const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');
const winston = require('winston');
// ... 200 more lines

Right approach (progressive):

Step 1: Basic server

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello World!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server running on http://localhost:3000');
});

Step 2: Add your first route

// Add this below your existing route
app.get('/api/users', (req, res) => {
  res.json([{ id: 1, name: 'Jane' }]);
});

Copy-Paste Friendly Code

The Copy-Paste Checklist

Every code block must pass these tests:

Code Block Patterns

File context is critical:

// server.js - Add this to your existing file
const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');

// Add this BEFORE your routes
const limiter = rateLimit({
  windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
  max: 100 // limit each IP to 100 requests per window
});

app.use(limiter);

Show file structure:

my-project/
├── src/
│   ├── index.js      ← You're editing this
│   ├── routes/
│   │   └── users.js
│   └── db/
│       └── connection.js
├── package.json
└── .env

Highlight changes in context:

// src/index.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// ✅ ADD THIS: Import your new route
const userRoutes = require('./routes/users');

// ✅ ADD THIS: Use the route
app.use('/api/users', userRoutes);

app.listen(3000);

"It Works!" Moments

Checkpoints Create Motivation

Every 3-5 steps, give developers a win:

## Checkpoint: Test Your API

Let's make sure everything works before continuing.

**Start your server:**
\`\`\`bash
node server.js
\`\`\`

**In a new terminal, test the endpoint:**
\`\`\`bash
curl http://localhost:3000/api/users
\`\`\`

**You should see:**
\`\`\`json
[{"id": 1, "name": "Jane"}]
\`\`\`

🎉 **It works!** Your API is returning data.

If you don't see this output, check the [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) section.

Visual Confirmation

When possible, show what success looks like:

Troubleshooting Sections

Common Error Template

## Troubleshooting

### "Error: Cannot find module 'express'"

**Cause:** Dependencies weren't installed.

**Fix:**
\`\`\`bash
npm install
\`\`\`

---

### "EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::3000"

**Cause:** Another process is using port 3000.

**Fix (macOS/Linux):**
\`\`\`bash
# Find the process
lsof -i :3000

# Kill it (replace PID with actual number)
kill -9 PID
\`\`\`

**Or use a different port:**
\`\`\`javascript
app.listen(process.env.PORT || 3001);
\`\`\`

---

### "SyntaxError: Unexpected token"

**Cause:** Likely a typo or missing bracket.

**Debug steps:**
1. Check the line number in the error
2. Look for missing `,`, `}`, or `)`
3. Verify all strings are closed with matching quotes

Proactive Error Prevention

Add warnings before common pitfalls:

⚠️ **Windows users:** Use `set` instead of `export`:
\`\`\`bash
# macOS/Linux
export API_KEY=your_key

# Windows Command Prompt
set API_KEY=your_key

# Windows PowerShell
$env:API_KEY = Read-Host -AsSecureString "API key"
\`\`\`

Tutorial Templates

Quickstart Template (5-10 minutes)

# [Product] Quickstart: [What You'll Do] in 5 Minutes

Get [specific outcome] in under 5 minutes.

## Prerequisites

- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]

## Step 1: Install

\`\`\`bash
npm install your-package
\`\`\`

## Step 2: Configure

Create a `.env` file:
\`\`\`
API_KEY=your_key_here
\`\`\`

## Step 3: Write Code

Create `index.js`:
\`\`\`javascript
// Complete, working code
\`\`\`

## Step 4: Run It

\`\`\`bash
node index.js
\`\`\`

Expected output:
\`\`\`
[Output here]
\`\`\`

## 🎉 You Did It!

You just [accomplished thing].

**Next steps:**
- [Link to full tutorial]
- [Link to API docs]
- [Link to examples repo]

Full Tutorial Template (20-45 minutes)

# Build a [Thing] with [Technology]

Learn how to [outcome] by building [specific project].

| | |
|---|---|
| **Time** | 30 minutes |
| **Level** | Intermediate |
| **Prerequisites** | Node.js 18+, basic JavaScript |

## What You'll Build

[Screenshot or diagram of final result]

By the end, you'll have:
- ✅ [Capability 1]
- ✅ [Capability 2]
- ✅ [Capability 3]

## Prerequisites

### Required Software

| Tool | Version | Verify |
|------|---------|--------|
| Node.js | 18+ | `node -v` |

### Required Knowledge

- [Concept 1] — [link to learn]
- [Concept 2] — [link to learn]

## Step 1: Project Setup

[Setup instructions with verification]

**Checkpoint:** You should see `[expected output]`.

## Step 2: [First Feature]

[Instructions]

**Checkpoint:** Test with `[command]`.

## Step 3: [Second Feature]

[Instructions]

## Step 4: [Third Feature]

[Instructions]

**Checkpoint:** Your app should now [do thing].

## Complete Code

Here's everything together:

\`\`\`javascript
// Full final code
\`\`\`

## Troubleshooting

### [Common Error 1]
[Solution]

### [Common Error 2]
[Solution]

## What You Learned

- [Key concept 1]
- [Key concept 2]
- [Key concept 3]

## Next Steps

- **Go deeper:** [Link to advanced tutorial]
- **Explore:** [Link to related feature]
- **Get help:** [Link to Discord/community]

Quality Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

Code Quality

• Every code block runs without modification
• All imports/requires are included
• Expected output is shown
• Error handling is included
• Environment variables use .env pattern

Structure Quality

• Prerequisites are explicit
• Time estimate is accurate (test it!)
• Checkpoints every 3-5 steps
• Final complete code is provided
• Troubleshooting covers likely errors

Accessibility

• Works on Mac, Linux, AND Windows
• Commands work in bash/zsh/PowerShell
• File paths use correct separators
• No assumptions about installed tools

Tools

Related Skills

• developer-audience-context — Understand skill level and environment
• devrel-content — General technical writing principles
• developer-onboarding — Optimize time to first success
• developer-seo — Get tutorials found via search

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches its upstream source and local project context.
• Verify commands, generated code, dependencies, credentials, and external service behavior before applying changes.
• Do not treat examples as a substitute for environment-specific tests, security review, or user approval for destructive or costly actions.