Documentation Templates
Templates and structure guidelines for common documentation types.
- README Structure
Essential Sections (Priority Order)
Section Purpose
Title + One-liner What is this?
Quick Start Running in <5 min
Features What can I do?
Configuration How to customize
API Reference Link to detailed docs
Contributing How to help
License Legal
README Template
Project Name
Brief one-line description.
Quick Start
[Minimum steps to run]
Features
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
Configuration
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| PORT | Server port | 3000 |
Documentation
License
MIT
- API Documentation Structure
Per-Endpoint Template
GET /users/:id
Get a user by ID.
Parameters:
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| id | string | Yes | User ID |
Response:
- 200: User object
- 404: User not found
Example: [Request and response example]
- Code Comment Guidelines
JSDoc/TSDoc Template
/**
- Brief description of what the function does.
- @param paramName - Description of parameter
- @returns Description of return value
- @throws ErrorType - When this error occurs
- @example
- const result = functionName(input); */
When to Comment
✅ Comment ❌ Don't Comment
Why (business logic) What (obvious)
Complex algorithms Every line
Non-obvious behavior Self-explanatory code
API contracts Implementation details
- Changelog Template (Keep a Changelog)
Changelog
[Unreleased]
Added
- New feature
[1.0.0] - 2025-01-01
Added
- Initial release
Changed
- Updated dependency
Fixed
- Bug fix
- Architecture Decision Record (ADR)
ADR-001: [Title]
Status
Accepted / Deprecated / Superseded
Context
Why are we making this decision?
Decision
What did we decide?
Consequences
What are the trade-offs?
- AI-Friendly Documentation (2025)
llms.txt Template
For AI crawlers and agents:
Project Name
One-line objective.
Core Files
- [src/index.ts]: Main entry
- [src/api/]: API routes
Key Concepts
- Concept 1: Brief explanation
- Concept 2: Brief explanation
MCP-Ready Documentation
For RAG indexing:
-
Clear H1-H3 hierarchy
-
JSON/YAML examples for data structures
-
Mermaid diagrams for flows
-
Self-contained sections
- Structure Principles
Principle Why
Scannable Headers, lists, tables
Examples first Show, don't just tell
Progressive detail Simple → Complex
Up to date Outdated = misleading
Remember: Templates are starting points. Adapt to your project's needs.