Best Practices for Using Dev-Docs Effectively

1. Configure dev-docs.json Properly

• Set appropriate internalTypeFilters, codeFilters, and nameFilters to focus documentation on relevant code elements
• Specify correct contextDirs to provide AI with proper context
• Configure mappings to organize generated docs logically

2. Use Markdown Mode

• Enable Markdown mode when writing in-editor documentation
• Keep documentation close to related code for better maintainability
• Leverage version control to track documentation changes alongside code

3. Generate Context Regularly

• Use the "Generate Context" command frequently as code evolves
• Generate high-level context for folders to maintain up-to-date project overviews
• Leverage multi-file context generation for complex components

4. Leverage AI-Assisted Features

• Use the "Ask Dev-Docs A Question" command to get quick answers about your codebase
• Run the "Find Missing Documentation" command periodically to identify gaps
• Review and refine AI-generated content for accuracy

5. Maintain External Docs

• Use the "Populate External Docs" command to keep external documentation in sync with code
• Customize external doc generation using relevant dev-docs.json options
• Review generated external docs and make manual edits as needed

6. Integrate with Development Workflow

• Set up Git hooks to automatically update docs on commit/push
• Configure CI/CD pipelines to regenerate docs on merge to main branches
• Use generated API docs to keep API documentation current

7. Collaborate Effectively

• Share generated high-level contexts with team members for better code understanding
• Use AI-generated answers to common questions as a knowledge base
• Maintain a centralized docs site using the external docs generation feature

8. Continuously Improve

• Regularly review and update dev-docs.json configuration
• Provide feedback on AI-generated content to improve accuracy over time
• Stay updated on new Dev-Docs features and incorporate them into your workflow