documentation-authoring

Creates and revises bounded technical documentation with evidence verification and proportionate validation.

Updated Sep 14, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/brendan-m-murphy/docs-doctor --skill documentation-authoring-brendan-m-murphy
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: documentation-authoring
Source: https://github.com/brendan-m-murphy/docs-doctor/tree/main/.agents/skills/documentation-authoring
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/brendan-m-murphy/docs-doctor --skill documentation-authoring-brendan-m-murphy

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Writing or updating technical documentation often produces unverified claims, scope creep, and pages that miss the reader's actual need. This Skill grounds every documentation change in repository evidence, keeps edits bounded to the authorized scope, and validates the result with the project's own checks. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Evidence-grounded writing: Verifies every claim against implementation, tests, CLI help, schemas, or scientific sources before writing, and never invents interfaces, commands, or citations. - Diátaxis-based structuring: Shapes each page around a dominant reader need (tutorial, how-to, reference, or explanation) without forcing artificial structure. - Bounded, validated patches: Makes the smallest coherent change, runs proportionate checks such as Sphinx builds, doctests, and Vale, and reports evidence, results, and remaining uncertainties. - Use Case: A user asks to document a new CLI option. The Skill reads the implementation and CLI help, writes a precise reference section, updates navigation only if needed, builds the docs, and reports the pages changed and checks run. ## Quick Start Use $documentation-authoring to document the new configuration option in the getting-started guide and validate the change with the project's doc build.

Frequently Asked Questions about documentation-authoring

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I write technical documentation that stays accurate?

Verify every claim against the implementation, tests, CLI help, or schemas before writing, and never invent interfaces or defaults. This Skill enforces that workflow and runs the project's configured checks such as doc builds and doctests after editing.

What is the Diátaxis framework for documentation?

Diátaxis divides documentation into tutorials, how-to guides, reference, and explanation based on reader needs. This Skill uses it as a diagnostic to give each page one dominant purpose without forcing all four modes or a required directory structure.

When should I use documentation-authoring versus a documentation audit?

Use documentation-authoring only when you clearly authorize file changes to documentation. For read-only audits or assessments of what work is needed, use a documentation-assessment skill instead, since review requests do not imply write intent.

Does it support scientific or numerical documentation?

Yes. It preserves equations, units, tolerances, and uncertainty, states assumptions near affected claims, and requests domain review before changing scientific meaning. It also runs relevant scientific tests for numerical claims.

What validation runs after editing documentation?

Validation is proportionate to the change: targeted builds and link checks for prose, doctests for changed code examples, generated-reference checks for interfaces, and Vale prose linting when configured. Expensive or destructive checks require authorization.