ChatGPT vs Documentation

You will agree with me that we have been so dependent on documentation for a very long time and there are some flaws in that dependency.

Official Docs are like that friend who knows every damn thing but struggles while explaining it clearly, they are exhaustive, yes, but kind of overwhelming sometimes and not to mention quite dry.

The worst thing about Documentation is that it assumes you know more than you currently do. You start reading up on how to use a particular feature, and suddenly you’re walloped with jargon and prerequisites that you weren’t even aware existed.

But here’s why they matter: because they’re true (or close enough). When you absolutely need to be sure that something works in a certain way, documentation is the right choice.

They’re written by the same people who write the software, updated with every new software release, and fact-checked. In spite of their disadvantages, they’ll always be there as reference materials.

Consider documentation like the textbook you stash away but isn’t always interesting, easy to consume, but if you need to validate or deep dive – you know it’s there.

Chatgpt

ChatGPT is around now, and it’s that new hip co-worker who has the answer for everything.

It's fast, speaks regular English, doesn’t make you feel stupid when you ask a dumb question. Put in a query and bam—get a human-like answer that actually works.

It fills the gaps that docs often don’t even remotely cover.

Need a quick example on how to use that API endpoint? Wondering when you should use one method or another?

Well, ChatGPT will probably explain it in a way you’ve never heard before.

But let’s be honest, ChatGPT is far from being perfect …. It can confidently give wrong answers, operate under the assumption of outdated information and sometimes hallucinates what features exist and what don’t. Quite similar to that smart friend we all have I guess: gives quite good answers but some fact checking must be done too!

The true power of ChatGPT isn’t to replace documentation, but to make technical concepts more accessible.

For me, it’s good at providing that first intuition before you read the official docs for the full details.

The Synergy Approach

You don’t have to choose between ChatGPT and documentation. In fact, using them together is where the magic happens.

Think of ChatGPT as your initial brainstorming buddy and documentation as your fact checker.

The recipe for success usually goes like this:

First, use ChatGPT to understand concepts and see some quick examples.

Next, consult the appropriate documentation page to read about all the implications and details.

It’s as if you’ve first taken a tutorial lesson on a particular topic before diving into the textbook – you know what you’re looking for and why.

Can’t figure out how a complex authentication flow fits together?

Just ask ChatGPT to explain it, then read the corresponding docs on how to properly code it up.

Not sure what dependency injection really means from a technical perspective?

Ask ChatGPT to break it down with relatable examples, then reference the documentation for proper implementation patterns.

The difference is that those are two completely different tools and purposes.

ChatGPT is made to explain and try to simplify, documentation for production ready code has all details you need in an authoritative way.

Building Your Learning Strategy

Let's break down exactly when to reach for each tool.

Hit up the documentation first when:

• You need exact configuration options
• You're implementing security-related features
• You want to explore official API endpoints
• You need up-to-date version-specific details
• You're writing production code that needs to be bulletproof

Jump to ChatGPT when:

• You're trying to grasp a new concept quickly
• You need code examples for common use cases
• You want to understand the "why" behind a pattern
• You're debugging and need a fresh perspective
• You need help refactoring or improving existing code

Pro tip: Start with the tool that matches your immediate need, but always cross-reference. If ChatGPT gives you a solution, verify the critical parts in the docs. If the docs confuse you, let ChatGPT explain it in simpler terms.

Remember: Speed isn't everything. Sometimes spending an extra five minutes cross-checking can save you hours of debugging later.

Conclusion

It’s not a never-ending battle between old and new resources when it comes to learning tech. The best developers don’t choose a side, they know how to use everything.

Mixing the intuitive explanations of ChatGPT with the reliability of documentation creates a powerful learning strategy that can flexibly adapt to your needs.

Use whichever tool is best matched to your current goal, and feel free to switch between them when necessary.

This is what you should do:

1. The next time you learn something new, take the approach of synergy
2. You develop your own workflow that makes use of both
3. Iterate on your own process and what works best for you

You are not here to become a ChatGPT expert or a documentation guru, but rather a more effective developer, and both are just tools to enable that.

The future of technical learning is not an either/or choice between AI and traditional resources, it's being smart enough to use both. And now you know how.