Imagine this: your team just doubled in size, new features are flying in, bugs are being squashed, deadlines are tighter than ever… but when someone asks “Why did we build it this way?” — silence.
No one remembers.
No one documented it.
And suddenly, your “fast-moving” team feels stuck in quicksand.
Why Documentation Feels Like a Waste (But Isn’t)
Most developers resist documentation because:
- It feels like a time sink.
- “The code is self-explanatory.”
- It’s less exciting than shipping features.
But here’s the truth: ignoring documentation is like skipping insurance. You only realize how important it is when things break.
For example:
- Onboarding takes forever — new developers spend weeks figuring out “tribal knowledge.”
- Decisions get lost — why was this approach taken? Nobody knows.
- Scaling stalls — lack of clarity means velocity actually slows as the team grows.
What Good Documentation Actually Looks Like
Documentation isn’t about writing a novel. It’s about clarity, speed, and reusability. Some practical forms:
- README files that explain setup, dependencies, and project purpose.
- Architecture diagrams that help new members understand the system quickly (you can use tools like Excalidraw or Lucidchart).
- Decision logs (e.g., why the team chose React over Vue).
- Inline code comments that clarify “why,” not just “what.”
Example of meaningful comments:
// Using debounce here because API is rate-limited.
// This avoids unnecessary calls and prevents hitting the limit.
const handleSearch = debounce((query) => fetchResults(query), 300);
How to Make Documentation Part of Your Culture
Growing teams can avoid documentation chaos by making it part of the workflow, not an afterthought:
- Adopt “docs-as-code” — keep docs versioned in the repo. Tools like Docusaurus or MkDocs make it easy.
- Set contribution expectations — every PR should update docs if it changes behavior.
- Use templates — for new features, bugs, or API endpoints.
- Reward good documentation — celebrate contributors who make onboarding easier.
- Automate where possible — generate API docs using tools like Swagger or Postman.
Think of Documentation as Future-Proofing
Today’s undocumented shortcut is tomorrow’s technical debt. A little extra effort now saves hours, frustration, and money later.
And here’s the kicker — great documentation doesn’t just help developers.
- Designers understand workflows faster.
- SEO teams get clarity on technical constraints.
- IT consultants can align infrastructure decisions.
Documentation isn’t paperwork. It’s communication at scale.
Over to You 💬
How does your team handle documentation? Do you have a culture that values it, or do you often struggle with keeping it up to date?
I’d love to hear your experiences — maybe even your worst “lack of docs” horror story.
👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s make documentation cool again.
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