## Practices - Docs are written in plain text formats such as Markdown or reStructured Text. - Docs are stored as flat files, not database entries. - Docs are authored in a code editor of the writer's choice, not a monolithic authoring application. - Docs are kept under version control. - Doc versions are organized in parallel to product versions. - Docs are built and deployed from source in an automated process that mirrors product deployment. - Docs are automatically tested for internal consistency and compliance to style guides. - Whenever reasonable, writers use the same tools and processes as developers. - Writers are integrated into the development team. ## Benefits - Writers have more control over their authoring environment. - Less friction in the authoring process. - Elimination of inconsistencies between docs and product. - Less need for human proofreading. - Coordinated releases of docs with product. - Developers are more likely to contribute to docs. - Writers and developers have more awareness of and respect for each others' work. - Authoring and deployment tools are mostly free; hosting requires less overhead.