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How to write a good documentation

shimondoodkin edited this page Nov 12, 2010 · 2 revisions

I am a newbe in Dojo... just tried to start. I already know JQuery little JQuery beause it is not that frightening to read the documentation. Lately when I developed several open source programs. I have got some comments about the documentation of my project.

He told me that he choose this: https://github.com/caolan/async library because of the documentation.

My documentation before: https://github.com/shimondoodkin/node-inflow/blob/77cc16467760d6eb80842d0b2da64b9b33b53ee7/README.md

My documentation after: https://github.com/shimondoodkin/node-inflow/wiki

I have learned few things:

  • He told me that i have to use capital letters at the beginning of sentences. It makes it easier to read long texts.
  • To have table of contents in each page - this is the main issue.
  • To have description of arguments for each function
  • To put one simple example per function not many.
  • To make a page for a function to add all other examples.
  • To put the documentation in a wiki.
  • Have a design that supports understanding of hierarchical structure of information (see jquery left menu http://api.jquery.com/category/selectors or http://nodejs.org/api.html - the menu is fine but text is messy).
  • Make access to documentation information quick like quick search.
  • make videos describing how to begin use.

also he said that there are several php frameworks there is nothing additional in codeigniter except the a good documentation. http://codeigniter.com/user_guide/

for example other framework with a less good manual: http://www.symfony-project.org/doc/1_4/