Technical Writing for Developers: Build Docs That Don't Suck
By
Mason Goulding
·
Updated
Clear, accurate docs reduce support tickets, speed onboarding, and make your product look pro. Here's the exact system I use to write technical content fast without hating every minute.
Why most dev docs are terrible (and how to fix it)
Bad docs cost real money: more tickets, slower adoption, churn. Good docs turn users into advocates. The fix isn't more words — it's ruthless clarity, structure, and audience focus.
- Reduce support load: 30–50% fewer "how do I..." questions
- Faster onboarding: new hires/devs productive in hours, not days
- SEO & discoverability: well-structured docs rank for long-tail queries
- Professionalism: clean docs signal a mature, trustworthy product
My Lean Technical Writing Stack (2026 Edition)
Minimal tools that enforce structure, consistency, and speed. No bloat, no lock-in.
| Layer | Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | VS Code + Markdown All in One | Fast preview, TOC auto-gen, linting |
| Structure | MDX / Nunjucks includes | Reusable components (callouts, code tabs, diagrams) |
| Linting | markdownlint + write-good + Vale | Enforce style, catch passive voice/jargon |
| Diagrams | Excalidraw + Mermaid | Quick flowcharts/code-integrated visuals |
| Versioning | Git + GitHub Pages / Netlify | Docs live in repo, auto-deploy on merge |
| Search | Algolia DocSearch or Meilisearch | Fast, typo-tolerant search in docs |
Related reads: Component Thinking for Static Sites · My Exact Web Design Stack · Optimizing Images for Performance · Technical SEO for Hand-Coded Sites
Core principles I follow every time
- Audience first: write for the junior dev at 2 a.m., not the senior architect
- One idea per section: short H2/H3, scannable paragraphs
- Show, don't just tell: code → explanation → result (never reverse)
- Active voice & imperative: "Run npm install" not "Installation can be performed by..."
- Error-first troubleshooting: put common failures at the top of sections
My go-to doc template
---
title: "How to [Do The Thing]"
description: "Step-by-step guide to [goal] with [tool/product]"
image: /assets/images/docs/[thing].webp
date: 2026-02-XX
---
# How to [Do The Thing]
Quick intro: why this matters + who this is for (1–2 sentences).
## Prerequisites
- Thing 1
- Thing 2
## Step 1: [Action]
Code block
Explanation.
## Common Errors
- Error A: Fix → ...
## Alternatives
- Option B if X
## Recap
- Key command
- Final checkKey takeaways
- Write for the tired junior dev — clarity > cleverness
- Use templates and linting to enforce structure
- Code + visuals + errors-first = docs people actually read
- Version docs in Git — treat them like code
