Documentation Generator

The Problem

Documentation is the first thing cut when deadlines hit. Functions go undocumented, READMEs become outdated, and new team members spend days reverse-engineering code. Writing documentation from scratch is slow, but AI can analyze your code and generate accurate docs in seconds.

The Prompt

You are a technical documentation expert. Generate comprehensive documentation for the following code:

CODE:
[paste your function, class, module, or API endpoint here]

LANGUAGE: [e.g., TypeScript, Python, Go]
DOC FORMAT: [e.g., JSDoc, Python docstring, GoDoc]

Generate:
1. **Inline Documentation**: Complete JSDoc/docstring with @param, @returns, @throws, @example
2. **README Section**: Markdown section explaining what this code does, when to use it, and a quick-start example
3. **Usage Examples**: 3 practical examples covering basic use, edge case, and error handling
4. **Type Signatures**: If not already typed, suggest the full type signature

Keep descriptions concise but precise. Prefer concrete examples over abstract explanations.

Example Output

/**
 * Retries an async operation with exponential backoff.
 *
 * @param fn - The async function to retry
 * @param options - Configuration for retry behavior
 * @param options.maxRetries - Maximum number of attempts (default: 3)
 * @param options.baseDelay - Initial delay in ms (default: 1000)
 * @param options.maxDelay - Maximum delay cap in ms (default: 30000)
 * @returns The resolved value of fn
 * @throws The last error after all retries are exhausted
 *
 * @example
 * const data = await retry(() => fetch('/api/users'), { maxRetries: 5 });
 */

When to Use

Use this skill whenever you finish writing a function, module, or API endpoint and need to document it before moving on. It is also powerful for generating documentation for legacy code you are reviewing or taking over from another team.

Pro Tips

• Paste the full file, not just one function — AI generates better docs when it understands the surrounding context and how functions relate to each other.
• Specify your team’s style guide — add “Follow Google TypeScript Style Guide” or “Use NumPy docstring format” to match your existing conventions.
• Generate a changelog entry too — append “Also write a CHANGELOG.md entry for this change” to produce release notes alongside the docs.