Mozilla Automation TeamWill Lachance15 min readintermediate
Writing the Docs: 2026 Edition
Summary
The post revisits core documentation principles—separating what from how, grounding reference docs in source truth, and continuously improving—and examines how large language models fit into this workflow. It argues that diataxis still guides effective docs and that LLM‑generated drafts must be anchored to machine‑readable ground truth to avoid hallucination.
- Use the diataxis framework: split docs into tutorials, explanations, how‑tos, and reference to match audience needs.
- Generate reference documentation from actual schemas or code and link back to the source to prevent drift.
- Document decisions and processes alongside the docs to preserve rationale.
- Treat LLM‑generated drafts as starting points; verify facts and add citations to ground truth.
Teams building internal data platforms or any product docs should care, because clear, source‑driven documentation reduces errors and makes LLM assistance reliable.
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