Update Documentation
Keep README.md and CHANGELOG.md in sync with the current state of the codebase.
When to Use
- Before committing significant changes
- After completing a feature or fix
- When user asks to update docs
- Before creating a PR
- When documentation is visibly stale
Process
Step 1: Assess Current State
- Read the current README.md and CHANGELOG.md
- Check recent git commits to understand what changed
- Review any new or modified files that affect documentation
Step 2: Update CHANGELOG.md
Follow Keep a Changelog format:
## [Version] - YYYY-MM-DD
### Added
- New features
### Changed
- Changes to existing functionality
### Fixed
- Bug fixes
### Removed
- Removed features
Guidelines:
- Group changes by type (Added, Changed, Fixed, Removed)
- Write from the user's perspective
- Be concise but descriptive
- Include issue/PR numbers if applicable
Step 3: Update README.md
Check and update:
- Project description still accurate?
- Installation instructions current?
- Usage examples working?
- Configuration options complete?
- Any new features need documentation?
Don't:
- Add verbose explanations for simple things
- Duplicate what's obvious from the code
- Include temporary or WIP notes
Step 4: Verify
- Ensure no broken links
- Check code examples are syntactically correct
- Verify version numbers are consistent
Notes
- README should be scannable - use headers, lists, code blocks
- CHANGELOG is for users, not developers - focus on impact
- Keep both concise - link to detailed docs if needed
Source: regression-io/coder-config — distributed by TomeVault.