arc42.org-site VS diataxis-documentation-framework

There a various standards for documenting software architecture, like arc42 or C4. While useful and somewhat well-known (there is certainly a correlation here), here architecture documentation can be further simplified, particularly due to the self-similarity of project and component. Following is a small template, that can also serve as a project's and component's README:

I've been using https://structurizr.com/ to automatically generate C4 diagrams from a model (rather than drawing them by hand). It works well with the approach for written documentation as proposed in https://arc42.org/. It's very easy to embed a C4 diagram into a markdown document.

The result is a set of documents and diagrams under version control that can be rendered using the structurizr documentation server (for interactive diagrams and indexed search).

I also use https://d2lang.com/ for declarative diagrams in addition to C4, e.g., sequence diagrams and https://adr.github.io/ for architectural decision records. These are also well integrated into structurizr.

My general approach to documentation is a "software guidebook" (free e-book link) or arc42 ... complemented with diagrams and architecture decision records where necessary.

In addition to a small number of diagrams, I'd recommend something like arc42 or my "software guidebook" (link for a free copy of my book describing this), plus some architecture decision records.

Arc42 may give some inspiration https://arc42.org/

If you need more structure than ADRs then https://arc42.org is super useful.

There are plenty of good resources out there for learning modeling languages and architectural documentation structures. For more lightweight methods, I'd recommend checking out resources like Simon Brown's C4 model for visualizing software architecture, Martin Fowler's UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language, Scott Ambler's Agile Modeling site, and the arc42 template for architectural documentation.

As you need to, you can get into topics like different modeling languages or documentation template libraries. These are going to be highly dependent on your organization, though, as different organizations have different standards for what and how to document design decisions. Personally, I've found that the arc42 documentation template plus the C4 modeling language plus the UML modeling language (see UML as sketch and UML as notes for more on lightweight UML) for the most detailed models (which are rarely needed outside of the most complex parts of a system) tends to be a good, agile, lightweight model for the kinds of things to think about when it comes to creating design documentation.

We've started using Arc42 and C4 model & PlantUML for diagrams. Working out well so far.

arc42 - arc42

Perhaps it could be restructured to separate out the howto from the explanation to serve the reader’s intended use at the time as described here: https://diataxis.fr

Create an organized repository for regularly updated documentation, making it easy to access important information.

Such integration capabilities really help push the developer productivity, whether that's in single-project workspaces or monorepos. Juri also dives deeper into efforts from the team to provide high quality educational content around Nx and its capabilities. The Nx docs have been restructured to follow the Diataxisframework, dividing content into into learning-, task-, understanding- and information-oriented sections.

I think people may be missing the core point of this article.

Anton has built a new thing, https://codapi.org/ - which provides a web component that makes it easy to embed interactive code snippets for HTTP APIs, Python code and more directly in pages of documentation.

This article demonstrates this new technology in the context of the https://diataxis.fr/ documentation framework, which recommends going beyond just straight API reference documentation and ensuring you cover tutorials, how-to guides and explanations as well.

I think this is really cool.

As much as possible on all facets, because that is what "documentation" means, and if you are a product manager who wasn't paying attention in product management 101 and need some guidance on what "documentation" is, try reading this first.

Related: Diátaxis - A systematic framework for technical documentation authoring [1]

"The Diátaxis framework aims to solve the problem of structure in technical documentation. It adopts a systematic approach to understanding the needs of documentation users in their cycle of interaction with a product.

Diátaxis identifies four modes of documentation - tutorials, how-to guides, technical reference and explanation. It derives its structure from the relationship between them.(...)"

[1] https://diataxis.fr/

the divio style docs concept got further refined by the creator with this - https://diataxis.fr/

mostly the same but some additional information for people who are interested