Hello 👋 there, in this blog post, we'll take a quick look at code documentation, what it means, what it entails, and why it's useful.
What is Code Documentation?
Code Documentation is the process of describing a software's functionality and purpose by using text, diagrams, or any other forms of documentation. It defines what a codebase does and how it can be used.
The goal of code documentation is to assist developers and stakeholders in understanding how the code works, and how to use, modify and maintain it.
Ways to document code
There are various methods for documenting code, and using them improves the readability of your code bases.
Comment: Comments are a good way of documenting codes. Their purpose is to provide a clear and concise description of what your code is doing.
A few things to take note of about comments:
a) Comments can be beneficial or detrimental
b) Comments are to be used to describe the purpose of the code.
c) Comments are used for providing additional content. For example, answering Why? not That
It's a good skill to know when to use and when to avoid comments.
Using tools your language provides: also known as "self-documenting code". It entails using the language to clearly express the code's purpose, for instance, using meaningful
a) directory structure
b) file/class/method/var name
The main objective is to enable developers quickly and easily comprehend the code base.
Using Git commit message: Writing a commit message is a great way to create long-term documentation, and it never goes out of date. It provides additional information about why a change was made to the code base and is essential for efficient team debugging.
Readme: it is a file that contains detailed information about a project. It helps you to navigate the different components of the codebase.
A typical Readme consists of
a) Project title.
b) Project description.
c) Dependencies, how to install and execute the program.
d) Folder structure explanation.
e) Author, Version, License, and acknowledgement.
Check out this Readme template.
How to Write Effective Code Documentation
Identify the intended audience.
Determine the appropriate type of documentation
Determine the documentation's scope.
Make use of diagrams and visuals.
Write in a clear and concise manner
Provide references and additional resources
Tools for writing code documentation
Text editors and word processors
Wikis
Specialized documentation tools like Doxygen, GitHub, Javadoc, SimpleMDE, etc.
Conclusion
It is important to note that a well-documented code can help reduce errors, improve code maintainability, and make it easier for new developers to join a project.
There are numerous methods for documenting code; choose the one that suits you the best.