How to write a great technical article

A great technical article helps a specific reader achieve a clear outcome—fast. Keep it warm and human, crisp and clear, and ready to help.

Core principles

• Start with the reader and outcome
  • Who is this for? What will they be able to do in 10–15 minutes?
  • Open with a one‑sentence value proposition and a TL;DR
• Get to the point fast
  • Lead with the most important info. Put key actions above the fold
  • Use short paragraphs (3–7 lines) and front‑load keywords
• Make it scannable
  • Use clear, descriptive headings (sentence case), lists, and callouts
  • Break complex tasks into steps; one action per step
• Write like you speak
  • Use contractions, everyday words, and active voice
  • Avoid jargon, acronyms, and idioms unless necessary—define them when used
• Be accurate and test everything
  • Include versions, prerequisites, and environment assumptions
  • Run every command and step yourself. Make code blocks copyable
• Use great links
  • Write descriptive link text (not “click here”); avoid raw URLs in text
  • Prefer current, canonical docs; omit locale fragments in Microsoft URLs
• Show, don’t tell
  • Favor runnable examples and expected output. Add minimal context, not walls of prose
  • Reference real code files over long inline snippets when possible
• Inclusive and accessible by default
  • Bias‑free language. Clear alt text for images. Logical heading order (H2 > H3)
  • Don’t rely on color alone; ensure sufficient contrast
• Visuals that work
  • Use diagrams where they shorten explanations. Add captions and alt text (why it matters)
• SEO, but natural
  • Title 30–65 chars. Description 120–165 chars. Use keywords naturally in headings and opening paragraphs

A tiny article template

• Title (sentence case, clear outcome)
• One‑sentence summary + TL;DR
• Who it’s for + prerequisites
• Step‑by‑step (each step starts with a verb; commands and expected output)
• Troubleshooting (top 2–3 failure modes with fixes)
• What’s next (related tasks, deeper docs, sample repo links)

Link and code tips

• Links: “OpenAI API keys page” instead of the raw URL; “Mem0 official docs” not “click here”
• Code: Use fenced blocks; one focused task per block; include expected output
• File references: Link to real repo files on the main branch to avoid drift

Pre‑publish checklist

• Reader and goal are explicit in the intro and TL;DR
• Headings use sentence case; paragraphs are short; steps are scannable
• Commands run cleanly; expected output shown; versions/prereqs listed
• Links are descriptive, current, and https
• Images have meaningful alt text; diagrams add clarity
• Style: contractions, active voice, no jargon without definition
• Accessibility: heading order, contrast, no color‑only meaning
• SEO: solid title and meta description; keywords used naturally
• Proofread for clarity and bias‑free language

Inspired by Microsoft Learn contributor guidance and writing style recommendations for clear, scannable, and helpful technical content.