Repository Documentation

Generate comprehensive, self-contained documentation for code repositories with awareness of cross-repository integration points and dependencies.

Purpose

Create and maintain repository documentation that includes README files, API documentation, contributing guides, and architecture documents. Each generated document is self-contained while explicitly documenting how the repository interacts with other repositories, services, and external dependencies.

When to Use

Trigger this skill when:

• User asks to "generate documentation for this repo"
• User mentions "create/update README", "document API", "write architecture docs"
• User asks about "how this repo connects to other repos"
• User requests "CONTRIBUTING guide" or "setup documentation"
• User wants to document integration points with other repositories

Documentation Workflow

Phase 1: Repository Analysis

Before generating documentation, analyze the codebase to understand:

1. Repository Structure

   • Use Glob to discover key files: README.md, package.json, pyproject.toml, go.mod, Cargo.toml, pom.xml, etc.
   • Identify main source directories (src/, lib/, app/, internal/, etc.)
   • Find configuration files (.env.example, docker/, k8s/, etc.)
   • Locate existing documentation (docs/, *.md files)

2. Cross-Repository Integration Discovery

   • Search for imports/requires referencing other repos (use Grep for common patterns)
   • Look for API client libraries pointing to internal services
   • Find shared dependencies or monorepo references
   • Identify external service integrations (databases, APIs, message queues)
   • Check for .gitmodules, workspace declarations, or subpackage references

3. Technology Detection

   • Identify primary programming language(s)
   • Find frameworks and major dependencies
   • Detect build systems and tooling
   • Note testing frameworks and CI/CD configuration

Phase 2: Document Generation

For each document type, follow the structured templates in examples/. Templates contain:

• Section headers with placeholder content
• Specific placeholders for integration points
• Cross-repository dependency sections

Key Principle: Every generated document must include an "Integrations" or "Related Repositories" section that explicitly documents:

• Which other repositories this repo depends on
• How this repo is consumed by other repositories
• External services and dependencies
• Data flow between repositories

Phase 3: Existing Document Updates

When updating existing documentation:

1. Read the current document using Read
2. Compare against current codebase state
3. Identify gaps (missing features, outdated integrations, stale dependencies)
4. Use Edit to update specific sections
5. Preserve existing voice and formatting where appropriate
6. Add newly discovered integration points

Document Types

README.md

The primary entry point for the repository. Use examples/README-template.md as a starting point.

Required sections:

• Project title and brief description
• Integration points with other repositories
• Quick start / Installation
• Usage examples
• API/CLI reference (link to detailed docs if separate)
• Contributing (link to CONTRIBUTING.md)
• License

API Documentation

Document public APIs, functions, classes, and endpoints. Use examples/API-template.md.

Required sections:

• Overview
• Authentication/Authorization
• Endpoints/Functions with signatures
• Request/response examples
• Error handling
• Rate limits (if applicable)
• Integration points with other services

CONTRIBUTING.md

Guide for contributors. Use examples/CONTRIBUTING-template.md.

Required sections:

• Prerequisites (other repos to clone, tools to install)
• Development setup
• Running tests
• Code style guidelines
• Pull request process
• Related repositories and their roles

ARCHITECTURE.md

High-level design and integration documentation. Use examples/ARCHITECTURE-template.md.

Required sections:

• System overview
• Component diagram (describe verbally or use Mermaid)
• Cross-repository architecture
• Data flow between repositories
• Design decisions and rationale
• Scaling considerations

INTEGRATIONS.md (Optional but Recommended)

Dedicated document for cross-repository relationships. Use examples/INTEGRATIONS-template.md.

Sections:

• Upstream dependencies (repos/services this depends on)
• Downstream consumers (repos/services that depend on this)
• Sibling repositories (related repos in the same ecosystem)
• External services
• Communication protocols between services

Integration Discovery Guidelines

When scanning for integration points, search for:

Pattern	Indicates
from @org/	Internal package/repo imports (JS/TS)
import.*internal	Internal imports (Python/Java)
github.com/org/	Go module references to other repos
client.*[Aa]pi	API clients to other services
restTemplate	REST client usage (Java)
fetch( or axios	HTTP calls to external services
messaging:	Spring Cloud/Sidecar integrations
pom.xml <artifactId>	Maven dependencies

Use scripts/find-integration-points.py to automate discovery.

Writing Guidelines

1. Be Specific About Integrations

• Name the repositories explicitly: "Depends on user-service repo for authentication"
• Explain the relationship: "This repo consumes events from event-bus via Kafka"
• Link to the actual repositories when possible

2. Self-Contained Yet Connected

• Each document should stand alone
• Cross-reference other documents and repositories explicitly
• Include enough context for someone new to the broader ecosystem

3. Concise and Scannable

• Use bullet points over paragraphs for lists and procedures
• Lead with the essential - put most important information first
• Use tables for reference material (configs, commands, options)
• Code over prose - show examples instead of lengthy explanations
• Collapse details - use collapsible sections or "expand to read more" for depth
• One concept per section - avoid mixing multiple topics
• Link, don't duplicate - reference existing docs instead of repeating
• Target reading time - a README should take ~3-5 minutes to scan

4. Keep Examples Current

• Use actual code snippets from the repository
• Verify commands work before including them
• Update version numbers and dependency references
• Keep examples minimal - show only what's needed to understand

5. Progressive Detail

• Lead with high-level overview
• Link to detailed documentation
• Provide quick paths to "just make it work" and deep dives

Tools and Utilities

Scripts

Use scripts in scripts/ for automation:

• find-integration-points.py - Scan codebase for references to other repositories
• analyze-repo-structure.py - Generate summary of repository structure and dependencies

Execute scripts without reading into context:

python skills/repo-docs/scripts/find-integration-points.py /path/to/repo

References

Consult references/ for detailed guidance:

• references/best-practices.md - Repository documentation standards
• references/integration-patterns.md - Common integration patterns and how to document them
• references/tech-detection.md - Technology detection patterns

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed guidance beyond this core workflow:

• references/best-practices.md - Industry standards for repository documentation
• references/integration-patterns.md - Documenting microservices, monorepos, and distributed systems
• references/tech-detection.md - Patterns for identifying technologies and frameworks

Example Templates

Templates in examples/ provide starting points:

• examples/README-template.md - Standard README structure with integrations section
• examples/API-template.md - API documentation template
• examples/CONTRIBUTING-template.md - Contributor guide template
• examples/ARCHITECTURE-template.md - Architecture documentation template
• examples/INTEGRATIONS-template.md - Dedicated integrations document

Scripts

Utilities in scripts/:

• scripts/find-integration-points.py - Automated integration discovery
• scripts/analyze-repo-structure.py - Repository structure analysis

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing documentation, verify:

• [ ] All cross-repository dependencies are documented
• [ ] Integration points are explicitly named and described
• [ ] Quick start instructions actually work
• [ ] Code examples are from the actual codebase
• [ ] Links to other repos are included where applicable
• [ ] External service dependencies are listed
• [ ] Setup instructions include dependencies on other repos
• [ ] Document is readable without access to other repositories