Writing
Technical Documentation Prompt
Used by developers, writers, and creators worldwide.
A technical documentation prompt gives you the right outline for whichever of the four documentation types you are writing, based on the Diataxis model that the best docs teams follow. Enter the feature and choose how-to guide, tutorial, reference, or concept, and it lays out the sections that type needs plus a reminder of its core purpose — getting a task done, teaching a beginner, listing facts accurately, or explaining an idea. Technical writers and engineers use it to stop mixing modes in one page, to match the structure to the reader's actual need, and to keep reference dry and tutorials patient. The single most common documentation mistake is blending a tutorial, a how-to, and reference material into one confusing page. Pick the type that fits what your reader is trying to do, follow its outline, and keep each document doing one job well rather than all four poorly.
Read the complete guide — 5 min read
Loading usage…
Free forever — no account required
How to use
- Choose your options above
- Click Generate
- Copy your result
Detailed instructions
- Enter the feature or product.
- Choose the document type.
- Follow the outline for that type only.
- Keep each document doing one job.
Use Cases
- •Outlining a how-to guide, tutorial, reference, or concept doc
- •Avoiding the mix of tutorial and reference in one page
- •Matching document structure to reader intent
- •Onboarding engineers to documentation standards
- •Planning a documentation set around the Diataxis types
Tips
- →Never mix tutorial, how-to, and reference on one page.
- →Write how-to steps as imperative, one action each.
- →Keep reference dry, complete, and consistent.
- →Explain the why in concept docs, not the steps.
FAQ
what are the four documentation types
Tutorials teach a beginner through a guided lesson, how-to guides help a competent user complete a task, reference describes the machinery accurately, and concept docs explain ideas and the why. Each serves a different reader need, which is why mixing them confuses everyone.
why not put everything on one page
Because the reader's need differs by mode. Someone learning wants their hand held; someone working wants steps fast; someone looking up a parameter wants a dry, complete table. One page trying to do all three serves none of them well, so the model separates them.
how is a tutorial different from a how-to
A tutorial is learning-oriented and guarantees a beginner succeeds at a teaching example. A how-to is goal-oriented and assumes competence, helping the reader solve their own real problem quickly. Same steps, very different tone and assumptions.
You might also like
Popular tools from other categories that share themes with this one.