From Tutorials to AI: Technical Documentation in a Different Light

The only thing that appears in the life of a programmer in an amount greater than coffee is technical documentation. It seems pretty simple - you have a problem, you scroll through a few pages and you get an answer, that's it. But are you sure? Anyone who has ever fallen into a rabbit hole of threads on Stack Overflow at 2am or dreamily squinted at API docs with a growing suspicion that they are written in an ancient forgotten dialect will tell you that not quite.

Tutorials skip key steps, reference guides resemble extensive manuals, and forums, while helpful, can send you on a wild chase for one needle hidden in a haystack of information. But there's a light in the tunnel, and we're here to help you find it.

Technical documentation and its types

When you hear the words “technical documentation”, you can never be sure what exactly to expect. Each of the types of materials provided by the software manufacturer differs in form and purpose.

• Tutorials:
  • Objective: Guide users through new concepts or tasks, step by step.
  • Meaning: Ideal for beginners, looking to gain practical experience or for experts to refresh their knowledge of new features or techniques in systems.

• Reference guides
  • Purpose: To provide detailed information about commands, functions, syntax and parameters.
  • Meaning: It helps those who need more advanced knowledge or a quick syntax search to ensure accuracy.
• Cookbook:
  • Objective: To offer solutions to common problems, formatted as concise descriptions of problems with appropriate solutions.
  • Meaning: Useful for effectively solving known problems, learning best practices, and implementing proven optimization and security solutions.
• Forums:
  • Objective: To facilitate community-based support through questions and answers, discussions and shared experiences.
  • Meaning: Provides real-world solutions and advice, bridging the gap between formal documentation and practical application, while creating a sense of community among professionals.
• Documentation in the form of Wiki
  • Objective: To compile community-generated content that evolves over time, offering an unstable platform for sharing knowledge.
  • Meaning: Wikis are especially valuable because they cover a wide range of topics, from basic to advanced techniques, constantly updated by the community.
• Knowledge Base:
  • It serves as an internal database of all information, structured in an easy-to-navigate format, typically maintained by the organization to support both users and team members. Here is an example Knowledgebase.
  • Meaning: The knowledge base helps you solve common queries and problems while reducing the need for direct support. It is an organized, searchable collection of relevant information, tips, and troubleshooting steps.

Conventions in the technical documentation

Opening technical documentation is like opening a box of chocolates - you never know exactly what you will find there. Fortunately, like chocolates, the documentation includes a guide on the box, you just need to know how to read it. Certain conventions that we deal with on the box are of great importance - it will be easier for people accustomed to a certain format to get to what they are looking for.

Common Formatting

Common formatting is the first thing you notice. Labeled syntax elements help distinguish what can be touched (commands) from what bites (comments). Real examples of code show not only how to do something, but also how it is done in the real world. We will also see diagrams and graphs there, because sometimes a good image saves a thousand pages of scrolling

Terminology

Terminology is another layer. The point here is to distinguish “indexes” from “triggers” and “views” from “stored procedures”. Then one talks about the properties of ACID - no, not ones that require gloves to handle, but rules that prevent the data from dissolving in chaos. And let's not forget the performance indicators, where words like “latency” and “bandwidth” remind us that faster and more efficient is an eternal pursuit.

Structural Conventions

Structural conventions may sound boring, but they make it harder to get lost. The quick start section offers clear, simple instructions to help you get started. The API shows all back roads and hidden paths. On the other hand, Problem Solving Guides deal with (or at least help you deal with) errors and glitches. Also, let's not forget about the best practices - the true wisdom of the elders.

How to master viewing technical documentation

Narrowing the search area

Learning a few tricks can save you a lot of time that would otherwise be wasted getting the search engine to cooperate:

• Concrete, concrete, concrete: Start with detailed queries. Broad terms cast off wide networks, yielding many, often irrelevant results. For example: a search for “SQL injection prevention techniques” yields more targeted results than the broad term “SQL”, directing you to specific, useful information

• Accurate phrase search using quotation marks: Quotation of a phrase signals search engines to search for the exact phrase. For example, “index optimization in PostgreSQL” focuses the search on specific topics in the PostgreSQL documentation.

• Keywords: Using technical keywords in search queries leads to more technical and objectively more helpful documentation. Keywords such as “transaction management”, “data replication” or “database partitioning” can lead to more specialized texts that directly suit your needs.

• Exclude terms with a minus sign: Using a minus sign (-) before the term you want to exclude from your search results can significantly narrow your results. This technique is especially useful when popular words have multiple meanings in different contexts, such as Java -coffee.

• Advanced Search Options: Many search engines and documentation sites offer advanced search features that allow users to narrow their results by criteria such as publication date, site domain, or document type.

Skimming or browsing without in-depth reading

Start by scanning the introduction, summary, and any conclusions, as these sections often show what will be later in the text. Headings and subheadings are there to guide you to the information that is most relevant to you, without forcing you to wade through every word

Using the Table of Contents/Document Outline can take you to the appropriate sections. If there is a keyword that needs to appear in the answer you are looking for, a quick search (Ctrl + F or Cmd + F) will transport you directly to the relevant information. As you review, consider marking key points or taking notes.

Sample code

Isn't the sample code the best that the technical documentation has to offer? It is he who connects theory with real applications. However, keep in mind:

• Understanding the context: Before using the code, make sure you fully understand its context.

• Analyze and analyze: Take the time to go through the code line by line. Get to know what each segment does, how it interacts with other parts, and why it is essential for the overall function.

• Test in a controlled environment: The obvious thing is that any code must first be tested in a controlled or development environment. This allows you to observe its behavior, understand its impact and make the necessary corrections without compromising the live database.

• Take the version into account: Software and platforms change, and so does their compatibility with code. Because the technical documentation is not always up to date, the compatibility of the version of a given code is too often overlooked. Checking the documentation for release notes or looking for samples that are compatible with the version can save you from potential stress.

Collaboration with the community

Many people are afraid to ask questions online, but is it right? While it is true that some posts on Reddit asking for help can cause chaos, it is an amazing tool to gain knowledge and information that you will not find in the official documentation. The world of forums and discussion forums is vast and varied, from ultra-specific to general.

Protip: If you can't find the answer to your question, feel free to post a deliberately incorrect answer. According to Cunningham's Law the fastest way to get the right answer on the Internet is not to ask a question, but to post the wrong answer.

AI can help too

If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of text you have to wade through to stay up to date with the technical documentation, you can always create your own GPT and have it review the data for you. Although you need a paid GPT Chat plan for this, there are no other solutions that allow you to “talk” to the documentation. Here's how it can be done.

summarizing

Sometimes it seems that from tutorials to forums, knowledge bases and reference guides, everything is trying to confuse you. But trust us, the documentation can be useful. Of course, if you use it correctly.

By approaching this with the right attitude and strategies, such as refining the search terms for precision, browsing to quickly identify the most useful parts, understanding the context of the cited code before applying it, and engaging with the community to obtain different perspectives, these tools transform from sources of confusion to pillars support.