Technical documentation acts as a complexity buffer: it helps readers understand a software project without reverse-engineering hundreds of lines of code. Its strongest form stays close to the implementation, where it can evolve through the same review process as related code changes. section 3.2.1
Useful documentation artifacts include:
- Commit messages: concise subjects state change intent; bodies explain reasoning and related tickets preserve traceability. section 3.2.1
- Documentation comments: Javadoc, Python docstrings, and C# XML comments explain the purpose and intended usage of public code elements. section 3.2.1
- API contracts: OpenAPI specifications, GraphQL schemas, and gRPC definitions describe system interactions and reduce drift from implementation. section 3.2.1
A practical documentation heuristic
Keep documentation with the code whenever possible, so it follows code review and can be updated with the related change. Use broader formal documentation when its continuing maintenance is clear. section 3.2.1
