GitHub for Managing Tech Docs

GitHub is a popular platform for software developers to manage their code repositories, collaborate on projects, and track changes over time. However, it is also a powerful tool for technical writers to create and manage documentation.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of using GitHub for technical writing and share some tips for getting started.

Benefits of Using GitHub for technical writing

1. Version Control: With GitHub, you can track changes to your documentation over time, allowing you to revert to previous versions or see who made what changes. This is especially useful when collaborating with other writers or contributors.
2. Collaboration: GitHub makes collaborating with other writers, developers, engineers, technical reviewers, and editors easy. You can create branches for different sections of your documentation and merge changes back into the main branch when they are ready.
3. Hosting: GitHub provides free hosting for your documentation, making it easy to share your work with others. You can also customize the look and feel of your documentation using templates and themes.
4. Automation: GitHub has built-in tools for automating tasks like building and deploying your documentation. This can save you time and help ensure your documentation is always up-to-date.

Getting Started with GitHub for technical writing

1. Set up a Development Environment: If you want to build locally, you need to be ready with the prerequisites for the Static Site Generator of your choice: Python/Sphinx, Ruby/Jekyll, or Go/Hugo.
2. Create a Repository: To get started, create a new repository on GitHub for your documentation. Depending on your needs, you can make it public or private.
3. Choose a Markup Language: GitHub supports a variety of tools for creating documentation, including Markdown, reStructuredText, and AsciiDoc. Choose the one that works best for you.
4. Write and Collaborate: Start writing your documentation and collaborate with others using branches, pull requests, and comments. Remember to use clear and concise language and logically organize your content.
5. Publish and Automate: Once your documentation is ready, publish it using GitHub Pages. You can also set up automation using GitHub Actions to build and deploy your documentation automatically.

Hopefully, you see that GitHub is a powerful tool for technical writers, providing version control, collaboration, hosting, and automation features. Following these tips, you can use GitHub to create and manage your documentation today. Or tomorrow if that fits your schedule better.