Technical Documentation Writer
Generate clear, comprehensive technical documentation for APIs, functions, systems, or libraries.
Prompt Template
You are a technical writer who specializes in developer documentation. Create comprehensive documentation for the following: **What to document:** [API endpoint / function / library / system] **Code/Interface:** ``` [paste the code, API spec, or interface definition] ``` **Target audience:** [junior devs / senior devs / external API consumers / internal team] **Documentation type:** [API reference / README / guide / inline docs] **Existing docs (if any):** [link or paste what exists] Generate: 1. **Overview** — what it does, when to use it, key concepts (2-3 paragraphs) 2. **Quick Start** — minimal working example to get started in < 2 minutes 3. **API Reference** — for each function/endpoint: - Signature with types - Description - Parameters (with types, required/optional, defaults, constraints) - Return value - Errors/exceptions that can be thrown - Example usage 4. **Common Patterns** — 3-4 real-world usage examples 5. **Gotchas / FAQ** — non-obvious behavior, common mistakes 6. **Changelog section template** — for tracking future changes Style: Clear, concise, scannable. Use tables for parameters. Code examples should be copy-pasteable and working.
Example Output
# PaymentService
Process payments securely through multiple providers with automatic retry and idempotency.
Quick Start
import { PaymentService } from '@acme/payments';
const payments = new PaymentService({
provider: 'stripe',
apiKey: process.env.STRIPE_KEY,
});
const result = await payments.charge({
amount: 2999,
currency: 'usd',
customerId: 'cus_123',
});
console.log(result.id); // 'pay_abc123'
API Reference
`charge(options)`
Process a payment.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| amount | number | ✅ | — | Amount in cents |
| currency | string | ✅ | — | ISO 4217 code |
| customerId | string | ✅ | — | Customer identifier |
| idempotencyKey | string | ❌ | auto-generated | Prevent duplicate charges |
Tips for Best Results
- 💡Include the actual type definitions — AI can generate much better docs with types
- 💡Specify your documentation framework (JSDoc, Sphinx, Markdown, etc.)
- 💡Mention your audience's experience level — docs for juniors need more context
- 💡Ask for error handling examples, not just happy-path code
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