Templates¶
Templates accelerate documentation creation by providing proven structures. Use these as starting points and adapt to your needs.
How to Use Templates¶
Best Practices¶
- Customize for context - Adapt to your audience and product
- Maintain consistency - Use templates team-wide
- Evolve over time - Improve based on experience
- Don't over-template - Leave room for judgment
Template Categories¶
Procedural Templates¶
Tutorial Template¶
# [Tutorial Title]
Learn how to [accomplish specific goal].
## Before You Begin
Before starting this tutorial, ensure you have:
- [Prerequisite 1]
- [Prerequisite 2]
- [Prerequisite 3]
**Estimated time:** [X] minutes
## What You'll Build
[Brief description of the end result]
## Step 1: [Action]
[Explanation of what this step accomplishes]
1. [Detailed instruction]
2. [Detailed instruction]
3. [Detailed instruction]
**Expected result:** [What should happen]
## Step 2: [Action]
[Explanation of what this step accomplishes]
1. [Detailed instruction]
2. [Detailed instruction]
[Code sample if applicable]
**Expected result:** [What should happen]
## Step 3: [Action]
[Continue pattern...]
## Verify Your Work
To confirm everything is working:
1. [Verification step]
2. [Verification step]
You should see [expected output/behavior].
## Next Steps
Now that you've completed this tutorial:
- [Suggested next tutorial]
- [Related feature to explore]
- [Advanced topic]
## Troubleshooting
### [Common issue]
**Symptom:** [What user observes]
**Solution:** [How to fix]
### [Another common issue]
**Symptom:** [What user observes]
**Solution:** [How to fix]
How-To Guide Template¶
# How to [Accomplish Task]
[One-sentence description of what this guide helps users do.]
## Prerequisites
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
## Steps
### 1. [First action]
[Instruction with necessary detail]
### 2. [Second action]
[Instruction with necessary detail]
### 3. [Third action]
[Instruction with necessary detail]
## Result
After completing these steps, [expected outcome].
## Related Tasks
- [Related how-to 1]
- [Related how-to 2]
Reference Templates¶
API Endpoint Template¶
# [Endpoint Name]
[Brief description of what this endpoint does.]
## Endpoint
[METHOD] /path/to/endpoint
## Authentication
[Authentication requirements]
## Request
### Headers
| Header | Required | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| Authorization | Yes | Bearer token |
| Content-Type | Yes | application/json |
### Path Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| id | string | Resource identifier |
### Query Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| limit | integer | No | 20 | Maximum results |
### Request Body
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|-------|------|----------|-------------|
| name | string | Yes | Resource name |
| description | string | No | Resource description |
### Example Request
[Code block with example]
## Response
### Success Response (200)
| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| id | string | Resource identifier |
| name | string | Resource name |
| created_at | string | Creation timestamp |
### Example Response
[Code block with example]
### Error Responses
| Status | Code | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| 400 | invalid_request | Request validation failed |
| 401 | unauthorized | Authentication required |
| 404 | not_found | Resource not found |
## Code Examples
### cURL
[Example]
### Python
[Example]
### JavaScript
[Example]
Configuration Reference Template¶
# [Configuration Name]
[Brief description of what this configuration controls.]
## Configuration Options
### [option_name]
**Type:** [string/boolean/number/object]
**Default:** [default value]
**Required:** [Yes/No]
**Description:** [What this option does]
**Example:**
[Code block with example]
### [another_option]
**Type:** [type]
**Default:** [default value]
**Required:** [Yes/No]
**Description:** [What this option does]
**Possible values:**
| Value | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| value1 | What it does |
| value2 | What it does |
## Example Configuration
[Complete configuration example]
## Related Configuration
- [Related config 1]
- [Related config 2]
Conceptual Templates¶
Concept/Overview Template¶
# [Concept Name]
[Opening paragraph explaining what this concept is and why it matters.]
## Overview
[Expanded explanation of the concept, 2-3 paragraphs]
## Key Components
### [Component 1]
[Description of component and its role]
### [Component 2]
[Description of component and its role]
### [Component 3]
[Description of component and its role]
## How It Works
[Explanation of how the concept functions, can include diagram]
## Use Cases
- **[Use case 1]:** [Brief description]
- **[Use case 2]:** [Brief description]
- **[Use case 3]:** [Brief description]
## Best Practices
- [Best practice 1]
- [Best practice 2]
- [Best practice 3]
## Related Concepts
- [Related concept 1]
- [Related concept 2]
## Next Steps
- [Action or reading suggestion]
- [Action or reading suggestion]
Troubleshooting Guide Template¶
# Troubleshooting [Topic]
Solutions for common issues with [topic].
## Quick Fixes
Before diving into specific issues, try these common solutions:
1. [Common fix 1]
2. [Common fix 2]
3. [Common fix 3]
## Common Issues
### [Issue/Error Message]
**Symptoms:**
- [What user observes]
- [Additional symptoms]
**Cause:**
[Why this happens]
**Solution:**
1. [Step to resolve]
2. [Step to resolve]
3. [Step to resolve]
---
### [Another Issue]
**Symptoms:**
- [What user observes]
**Cause:**
[Why this happens]
**Solution:**
[Resolution steps]
---
## Getting More Help
If these solutions don't resolve your issue:
- [Support channel 1]
- [Support channel 2]
- [Community resource]
Project Templates¶
Release Notes Template¶
# [Product Name] [Version] Release Notes
**Release Date:** [Date]
## Highlights
[2-3 sentence summary of what's new in this release]
## New Features
### [Feature Name]
[Description of feature and user benefit]
### [Feature Name]
[Description of feature and user benefit]
## Improvements
- [Improvement 1]
- [Improvement 2]
- [Improvement 3]
## Bug Fixes
- Fixed issue where [description]
- Resolved problem with [description]
- Corrected [description]
## Breaking Changes
### [Change description]
**What changed:** [Explanation]
**Migration:** [How to update]
## Deprecations
- [Deprecated feature] - Will be removed in [version]
## Known Issues
- [Issue description] - Workaround: [workaround]
## Upgrade Instructions
[Steps to upgrade from previous version]
Getting Started Guide Template¶
# Getting Started with [Product]
Get up and running with [Product] in [X] minutes.
## Prerequisites
Before you begin, you'll need:
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
- [Requirement 3]
## Step 1: [Installation/Setup]
[Installation instructions]
## Step 2: [Configuration]
[Configuration instructions]
## Step 3: [First Use]
[Instructions for first action]
## Verify Installation
[How to confirm everything is working]
## Next Steps
Now that you're set up:
- **[Learn the basics]** - [Brief description]
- **[Explore features]** - [Brief description]
- **[Advanced setup]** - [Brief description]
## Getting Help
- [Documentation link]
- [Support channel]
- [Community resource]
Using These Templates¶
Adapting Templates¶
- Copy the template structure
- Replace bracketed placeholders
- Add or remove sections as needed
- Maintain consistent style
- Review before publishing
Creating Team Templates¶
- Start with these templates
- Adapt for your product/context
- Document your customizations
- Store in accessible location
- Train team on usage
Summary¶
Templates provide consistent starting points:
- Save time on structure decisions
- Ensure completeness
- Maintain consistency
- Improve quality
Adapt these templates to your needs and evolve them based on what works.