Discussion on: What's worse: Stale documentation or no documentation?

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Replies for: Documantation is always obsolete Write good tests instead Documentation lie, Tests can't lie Documentation is dead, tests are alive

I also find tests necessary but tests and doc cover two different things.

Documentation is to provide ease to use for developers while tests "explain" behaviour. You also can add documentation inside your tests and point to the issue or whatever.

On the other hand, there are ways (linter, CR) to ensure both that people add doc plus that they update the doc along changes in functions/methods.

If we're talking about a different kind of documentation (wiki) then yes, this -almost- never ends well.

Maxi Contieri • Aug 15 '22

In My code reviews, I usually remove Doc documentation since they bring no value and are in danger of obsolence. No documentation is better than useless documentation

see

Code Smell 05 - Comment Abusers

Maxi Contieri ・ Oct 24 '20 ・ 2 min read

#codenewbie #tutorial #beginners

and

Code Smell 146 - Getter Comments

Maxi Contieri ・ Jul 2 ・ 2 min read

#javascript #webdev #beginners #programming

JoelBonetR 🥇 • Aug 15 '22

So instead enforcing the documentation and keeping it up to date you prefer to remove it... What can go wrong.

It may not bring "value" but it speeds up future developments and maintenance for sure 🤷🏻‍♀️

Maxi Contieri • Aug 15 '22

ussually I just don't remove it. I write a self documenting test instead.
Then I remove th comment before it gets obsolete

Maintenance is granted as long as you have automated tests.
You can add a bunch of documentation and yet bring zero maintenance value since developers don't read documentation. But if they break a test, they will have inmediate feedback

JoelBonetR 🥇 • Aug 15 '22 • Edited

Well, it depends on the environment/language till certain point but as I already said, documentation can be enforced through lints or any other tool and you'll get feedback for sure.
check this as example.

On the other side, tests ~~should not~~ don't apply to every single function you have. Tests are meant to ensure behaviour (public interface) while documentation in functions is meant to add information to the implementation details.

That's the reason I said both are not exclusive neither they are replaceable between each other.

Maxi Contieri • Aug 15 '22

I see your point in your article.
If it keeps updated automatically I am ok with it.

Implementation details are accidental and can change as long as no external contract is broken.
documentation should be the exception for a very small use cases, IMHO