Published
July 26, 2023
This article was originally posted on
Hackernoon
Documentation is the backbone of any successful open-source project. It not only serves as a guide for developers and users but also acts as a vital marketing tool for attracting new users. However, many developers make the common mistake of using their GitHub repository as the primary source for documentation. In this blog, we will explore the limitations of using GitHub as your primary documentation source and the benefits of using your own docs site for hosting your project's documentation.
You may think that using your GitHub repo for your documentation is a quick and easy solution, but you may be missing out on a lot of benefits that building your own docs site can offer. Your GitHub repo has several drawbacks that can affect your documentation quality and user satisfaction. Here are some of them:
When you create an open-source project, you want to share it with the world and get more people to use it and contribute to it. But how do you convince them that your project is worth their time and attention? How do you make a good first impression and build trust and loyalty with your users? The answer is documentation.
Documentation is more than just a technical guide; it is also a powerful marketing tool for your open-source project. It is the first thing that potential users will see when they visit your project’s website or repository. It is the way you communicate your project’s vision, purpose, features, and benefits to your audience. It is the way you show your project’s personality and brand identity, and how you integrate it with your main website.
By building your own docs site for your project’s documentation, you can create a user-friendly and branded experience that showcases your project in the best possible light. You can customize the look and feel of your documentation to match your project’s style and tone. You can use images, logos, colors, fonts, and layouts that reflect your project’s identity and values. You can also link your documentation to your main website, social media accounts, or other relevant platforms, creating a seamless and consistent user journey.
One of the advantages of using your own docs site for your documentation is that you can add interactivity and rich media to your content, which can enhance the user experience and learning outcomes. Interactivity and rich media can help you:
By building your own docs site, you can embed various types of interactivity and rich media into your documentation, such as videos, conference talks, tutorials, and code examples directly into your documentation, making it a more engaging and valuable resource for your audience.
The web has evolved tremendously over the last two decades, and so has our understanding of how to create effective and user-friendly websites. By using your own docs site for your documentation, you can leverage this web knowledge and apply it to your documentation website, creating a better experience for your users and yourself. Here are some of the benefits of using your own docs site in terms of web knowledge:
By using these analytics tools, you can gain a comprehensive and holistic understanding of your users’ behavior and needs. You can also use feedback forms, surveys, or comments to collect direct feedback from your users, learning about their satisfaction, preferences, or suggestions for improvement.
By building a site for your documentation, you can utilize two decades of web knowledge and best practices to create a more effective and user-friendly documentation website.
One of the main goals of any open-source project is to get more users and contributors to join and support your project. However, this can be challenging if your documentation is not appealing or accessible to a wide range of users. Different users may have different preferences, needs, or expectations when it comes to documentation. How do you create documentation that satisfies and attracts all kinds of users?
The solution is building your own docs site. This allows you to create an interactive static-generated site that can cater to different user preferences and increase the adoption of your open-source project.
The best way to create your own docs site is to use a static site generator (SSG) such as Hugo, Docusaurus, Doscify, and so on. These tools allow you to build your docs site from your own repository and host it on a platform like Github Pages, Read the Docs, or any other service of your choice.
There are many alternatives for storing your documentation off GitHub, depending on your budget, skills, and requirements. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Building your own documentation site is the perfect solution to convert your static documentation into an interactive, dynamic, and user-friendly website. With your own docs site, you can maintain the simplicity of Markdown while adding powerful features like embedded coding tools, examples, and training modules.
You have seen how building your own documentation site can help you create and host your project’s documentation with ease and efficiency. But what if you want to know more about who is using your documentation and software, and how they are using it? That’s where Scarf comes in. Scarf is a powerful platform that tracks and analyzes how your documentation website and software are used and by whom. It can provide you with valuable data and insights that can help you improve your project and reach more users. In this section, we will show you how to integrate Scarf Gateway with your docs site and how this combination can take your open-source project to the next level.
Scarf Gateway acts as a bridge between your users and the current distribution channels of your software. The installation and deployment methods remain unchanged, ensuring a seamless user experience. What sets Scarf apart is its ability to collect metadata and non-personal identifiers from various sources, including downloads, documentation views, and installations. This data is invaluable in understanding user behavior, engagement, and preferences.
With Scarf Gateway integrated into your own documentation site, you gain a comprehensive view of user interactions. By tracking documentation views, you can understand which sections of your documentation are most popular and which might require improvement. Additionally, tracking downloads provides insights into the popularity and reach of your software.
Scarf Gateway enables you to see how users utilize your software and documentation. Understanding user behavior within your documentation can help you identify pain points and areas where users may struggle. Armed with this knowledge, you can make targeted improvements to enhance the overall user experience.
One of the most powerful aspects of Scarf Gateway is its ability to identify where your users come from and the companies they represent within your community. This information can be crucial for understanding your project's reach and the impact it has on various industries. By knowing who your users are, you can tailor your documentation and software to better meet their needs.
The combination of Scarf and your self-hosted docs site empowers you to make data-driven decisions. Utilize the insights gained to optimize your documentation and software strategy. Tailor your content to target specific user segments, improve areas that require attention, and align your project's goals with the needs of your community.
The data collected by Scarf can help you identify active contributors and influential users within your community. Recognizing and engaging with these individuals can foster a stronger sense of community and encourage further collaboration.
In conclusion, using GitHub Repositories as the primary source for your project's documentation can limit its growth and adoption potential. Building your own documentation site allows you to optimize your user experience, integrate your brand's personality, and leverage valuable web knowledge to create a compelling, interactive, and user-friendly documentation hub. As open-source projects continue to thrive on collaboration and community support, investing in high-quality documentation through your self-hosted docs site will undoubtedly prove to be a game-changer for your project's success. So, why settle for less?
Tools and strategies modern teams need to help their companies grow.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
