Docs as Code vs Structured Authoring

In today's fast-paced technological landscape, the effective integration of documentation approaches is crucial for both software development and user support. Two prominent approaches to documentation are Structured Authoring and Docs as Code. Each of these offers distinct methodologies tailored to specific needs and workflows. Structured Authoring emphasizes the creation of content using predefined structures and … Continue reading Docs as Code vs Structured Authoring →

Node.js vs JavaScript: Documentation

JavaScript is a fascinating language primarily used for web development. However, with Node.js, it extends its capabilities to server-side applications. Here’s a closer look at the key differences between regular JavaScript and Node.js: AspectNode.jsJavaScriptTypeRuntime environmentProgramming languageExecution EnvironmentRuns JavaScript outside of a browser (server-side)Used to write logic and functionality in web apps (client-side or server-side)RoleRuns on … Continue reading Node.js vs JavaScript: Documentation →

The Pros and Cons of Docs as Code

Docs as Code has become prominent in software development, and for good reason. This approach treats documentation like code, advocating for writing, versioning, and maintaining documentation using the same tools and processes that developers use for software. This creates a much more seamless experience for documentation development. It streamlines workflows, encourages collaboration, and ensures that … Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Docs as Code →

JavaScript vs TypeScript

JavaScript has long been the go-to language for web development. It's known for its flexibility and ease of use. TypeScript, however, has gained popularity for adding static typing and better tooling, making it ideal for larger, more complex projects. This comparison highlights the key differences between the two. FeatureJavaScriptTypeScriptNature of LanguageDynamic, interpreted scripting languageSuperset of … Continue reading JavaScript vs TypeScript →

Technical Writer’s Guide to REST APIs

REST APIs are widely used in web and mobile app development for their simplicity and flexibility in enabling communication between different systems. Documenting REST APIs is an essential practice for developers and technical writers to ensure that users can understand and integrate with the API efficiently. For some reason, however, this tends to come across … Continue reading Technical Writer’s Guide to REST APIs →

Python vs JavaScript

I've been asked several times by technical writers transitioning to software development which programming language they should focus on. The answer depends on the specific area of development they wish to pursue. While JavaScript was once the unequivocal choice for web development, the rise of AI and its applications has shifted the recommendation towards Python … Continue reading Python vs JavaScript →

How APIs Drive AI Development

I was curious about how APIs allow developers to programmatically collect data for AI applications, and I thought you might be, too. I'll explore this more in this post. APIs connect client-side software with the backend services, databases, for example. This allows developers to interact with and retrieve data from various platforms or services programmatically. … Continue reading How APIs Drive AI Development →

What even Is AI Development?

In a previous post I wrote about the paradigms of AI development for technical writers. Perhaps I should've started though with the question, what even is AI development? Simply put, AI development is the process of designing, building, training, and deploying artificial intelligence systems that can simulate human intelligence and perform tasks such as reasoning, … Continue reading What even Is AI Development? →

Navigating AI Development: A Technical Writer’s Guide to Programming Paradigms

In a previous post, I laid out best practices for technical writers focusing on object-oriented programming (OOP). I also mentioned another important programming paradigm: functional programming (FP). While OOP is primarily utilized for software development, functional programming finds significant application in data science and financial modeling, particularly within AI. I’ll focus on AI development in … Continue reading Navigating AI Development: A Technical Writer’s Guide to Programming Paradigms →

Programming Best Practices for Technical Writers – Modularity

Welcome to the sixth installment of my series on essential programming best practices for technical writers. In the previous post, I covered the concept of polymorphism. In this post, we’ll shift our focus to the principle of modularity. Modularity is a design strategy that involves dividing a system into smaller, self-contained units or modules, each … Continue reading Programming Best Practices for Technical Writers – Modularity →