Technically speaking improve your code documentation
summary
Argues that writing docs while coding reduces support questions and speeds onboarding, citing work on Google Chrome and the Privacy Sandbox and a Google Publisher Tag example where precise code comments prevent breaking ad slots; recommends a clear README, step-by-step guides, release notes and templates; gives a 2015 WordPress bingo plugin anecdote (users asked for help in 2019) to show missing docs cost time; prescribes writing for past/future self, spelling acronyms, using exact measurements and prioritizing audience.
AI-written summary · about
chapters (15)
- 0:00Start
- 0:32What we'll cover
- 7:58Hamlet
- 18:58Past you
- 20:10Future you
- 24:55Best practices
- 25:55Write while you code
- 26:56Add context
- 28:44Bad comments
- 29:03Better comments
- 30:27What's in a README?
- 32:08Bad instructions
- 34:00Bad release note
- 35:49Better release notes...
- 38:00Ask (and answer) questions
related talks
46mTechnically Speaking: Improve your code with documentation
52mTechnically Speaking: improve your code with documentation
01h 14mTechnically speaking: Improve Your Code With Documentation
26mPractice Makes Perfect: Write Accessible Documentation
29mHumanizing Your Documentation
01h 24mWriting Documentation - Practices and Theory
30mA Documentation Talk
51mWriting the Darn Docs
