Documentation as Code | Version-Controlled Docs

Manage documentation alongside code with version control and automated deployment. GitScrum's NoteVault keeps docs accurate and up-to-date.

5 min read

Documentation as code means treating docs like source code: version controlled, reviewed, tested, and deployed automatically. Good docs-as-code keeps documentation accurate and up-to-date. Poor documentation becomes stale and ignored. This guide covers implementing docs-as-code.

Docs-as-Code Benefits

Benefit	Description
Version control	History, branches, diffs
Review process	PRs for quality
Automation	Build, test, deploy
Colocation	Docs near code

Implementation

Setting Up

DOCS-AS-CODE SETUP
══════════════════

REPOSITORY STRUCTURE:
─────────────────────────────────────
project/
├── src/
│   └── (code)
├── docs/
│   ├── getting-started.md
│   ├── api/
│   │   ├── endpoints.md
│   │   └── authentication.md
│   ├── guides/
│   │   ├── setup.md
│   │   └── deployment.md
│   └── reference/
│       └── configuration.md
├── README.md
└── CONTRIBUTING.md

TOOLING:
─────────────────────────────────────
Writing:
├── Markdown (most common)
├── AsciiDoc (more features)
├── reStructuredText
└── Plain text format

Building:
├── MkDocs (Python)
├── Docusaurus (React)
├── Hugo (Go)
├── Astro (modern)
├── VuePress
└── Static site generator

CI/CD:
├── Build on PR
├── Preview deployments
├── Deploy on merge
├── Automated pipeline
└── Same as code

Workflow

Documentation Process

DOCS-AS-CODE WORKFLOW
═════════════════════

WRITING:
─────────────────────────────────────
1. Create branch
   git checkout -b docs/add-api-guide

2. Write docs
   Edit docs/api/new-feature.md

3. Local preview
   mkdocs serve

4. Commit
   git add docs/
   git commit -m "docs: add API guide"

5. Push and PR
   git push origin docs/add-api-guide

REVIEW:
─────────────────────────────────────
PR includes:
├── Content accuracy check
├── Technical review
├── Link validation
├── Style consistency
├── Preview deployment
└── Same as code review

DEPLOY:
─────────────────────────────────────
On merge:
├── CI builds docs
├── Static site generated
├── Deployed to hosting
├── Live in minutes
├── Automated
└── No manual steps

Keeping Docs Current

Documentation Maintenance

KEEPING DOCS CURRENT
════════════════════

DOCS IN SAME PR:
─────────────────────────────────────
When changing code:
├── Update relevant docs
├── Same PR, same review
├── Can't forget
├── Atomic change
└── Best practice

DEFINITION OF DONE:
─────────────────────────────────────
DoD includes:
├── ☐ Code complete
├── ☐ Tests pass
├── ☐ Docs updated ← Required
├── ☐ Reviewed
└── Docs not optional

AUTOMATED CHECKS:
─────────────────────────────────────
CI checks:
├── Broken link detection
├── Markdown linting
├── Spell checking
├── Build success
├── Fail if docs broken
└── Quality gates

OWNERSHIP:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Each doc has owner
├── Regular review cycle
├── Stale docs flagged
├── Responsibility clear
└── Maintained docs

REVIEW CYCLE:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Monthly: Quick scan
├── Quarterly: Deep review
├── Remove outdated content
├── Update screenshots
├── Refresh examples
└── Regular maintenance

Documentation Types

What to Document

DOCUMENTATION TYPES
═══════════════════

README:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Project overview
├── Quick start
├── Installation
├── Basic usage
├── Links to more docs
└── First impression

API REFERENCE:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Endpoint documentation
├── Parameters
├── Request/response examples
├── Error codes
├── Generated from code when possible
└── Technical accuracy

GUIDES/TUTORIALS:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Step-by-step instructions
├── Common use cases
├── Getting started
├── How to achieve goal
└── Task-oriented

ARCHITECTURE:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── System overview
├── Component diagrams
├── Design decisions (ADRs)
├── High-level structure
└── Understanding system

RUNBOOKS:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Operational procedures
├── Incident response
├── Deployment steps
├── Troubleshooting
└── Operations docs

GitScrum Integration

Docs in GitScrum

GITSCRUM FOR DOCUMENTATION
══════════════════════════

DOC TASKS:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Create tasks for doc work
├── Label: documentation
├── Include in sprints
├── Track like other work
└── First-class work

NOTEVAULT:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Internal team docs
├── Decision records
├── Meeting notes
├── Project context
└── Team knowledge

DEFINITION OF DONE:
─────────────────────────────────────
Template includes:
├── ☐ Docs updated
├── ☐ README current
├── ☐ API docs if applicable
└── Built-in requirement

REVIEW TASKS:
─────────────────────────────────────
├── Quarterly doc review tasks
├── Assign to team members
├── Rotate responsibility
├── Track completion
└── Regular maintenance

Best Practices

For Docs-as-Code

Same repo — Docs live with code

Same workflow — PRs for docs too

Automated build — CI/CD for docs

Update together — Code + docs = one PR

Review regularly — Prevent staleness

Anti-Patterns

DOCUMENTATION MISTAKES:
✗ Docs in separate system
✗ No version control
✗ Manual deployment
✗ No review process
✗ Update docs later (never)
✗ No ownership
✗ Stale documentation
✗ Wiki nobody maintains