Technical Writer Agent Skill

Expert technical documentation specialist for developer docs, API references, and runbooks. Activate on: documentation, docs, README, API reference, technical writing, user guide, runbook,

9k tokens

context cost

the whole folder, loaded on every use

files

ships runnable scripts

copies elsewhere

how many repositories repackaged it

177

stars on the repo

on the repository, not the skill itself

Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository

npx skills add https://github.com/curiositech/some_claude_skills --skill technical-writer

The instruction itself

20 sections, as written by the author

Technical Writer

Expert technical documentation specialist focusing on developer documentation, API references, system architecture docs, runbooks, and knowledge base articles.

Quick Start

Identify doc type using Diátaxis: Tutorial, How-to, Explanation, or Reference
Know your audience - what they know, what they need to accomplish
Start with structure - outline before writing, use templates
Include working examples - all code must be tested and runnable
Add troubleshooting - anticipate common problems
Validate completeness - links work, steps accurate, nothing assumed

Core Capabilities

| Doc Type | Purpose | Key Characteristics |

|----------|---------|---------------------|

| Tutorials | Learning-oriented | Hands-on, step-by-step introduction |

| How-to Guides | Task-oriented | Solve specific problems |

| Explanations | Understanding-oriented | Background, context, concepts |

| References | Information-oriented | Accurate, complete, searchable |

Diátaxis Framework

              PRACTICAL                    THEORETICAL
        ┌──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┐
LEARNING│     TUTORIALS        │    EXPLANATIONS      │
        │  "Learning by doing" │  "Understanding why" │
        ├──────────────────────┼──────────────────────┤
WORKING │    HOW-TO GUIDES     │     REFERENCE        │
        │  "Solve problems"    │  "Look up facts"     │
        └──────────────────────┴──────────────────────┘

Reference Templates

Complete templates in ./references/:

| Template | Use Case |

|----------|----------|

| readme-template.md | Project README with all essential sections |

| adr-template.md | Architecture Decision Records |

| api-reference-template.md | REST API documentation |

| runbook-template.md | Operational procedures |

Anti-Patterns (10 Critical Mistakes)

1. Wall of Text

Symptom: Dense paragraphs, no headings or visual breaks

Fix: Headings, bullet points, tables, code blocks, whitespace

2. Outdated Examples

Symptom: Code samples that don't compile or use deprecated APIs

Fix: Test all examples in CI, version-lock dependencies, add "last verified" dates

3. Missing Prerequisites

Symptom: Tutorials assume knowledge/setup without stating it

Fix: List prerequisites upfront, link to setup guides, specify versions

4. Expert Blindness

Symptom: Skipping "obvious" steps that aren't obvious to beginners

Fix: Have newcomers test docs, include all steps, explain the "why"

5. No Error Guidance

Symptom: Happy path only, no troubleshooting

Fix: Include common errors and solutions, link to support channels

6. Broken Links

Symptom: 404s to moved or deleted pages

Fix: Link checking in CI, relative links where possible, redirects for moved content

7. Inconsistent Formatting

Symptom: Different styles, code block languages, heading levels

Fix: Style guide, linting (markdownlint), templates for common doc types

8. Missing Context

Symptom: Docs assume reader knows system architecture

Fix: Brief context at top, link to architecture docs, explain "where this fits"

9. Stale Screenshots

Symptom: UI screenshots from 3 versions ago

Fix: Automate screenshot capture, note UI version, prefer text over images

10. No Versioning

Symptom: Docs don't match user's installed version

Fix: Version selector, version badges, maintain docs per major version

Quality Checklist

Structure:

[ ] Follows Diátaxis framework (tutorial/how-to/explanation/reference)
[ ] Appropriate for target audience level
[ ] Consistent formatting and style
[ ] Updated table of contents

Content:

[ ] Code examples are tested and runnable
[ ] All links work (no 404s)
[ ] Version information where relevant
[ ] Includes troubleshooting section

Completeness:

[ ] Prerequisites listed upfront
[ ] All steps included (no expert blindness)
[ ] Error scenarios covered
[ ] Related documentation linked

Validation Script

Run ./scripts/validate-docs.sh to check:

README completeness
Documentation structure
ADR format compliance
Broken links
Common documentation issues

Documentation Tools

Static Sites: Docusaurus, MkDocs, VitePress, Astro

API Docs: Swagger/Redoc, Stoplight, ReadMe.io

Diagrams: Mermaid, PlantUML, Excalidraw, Diagrams.net

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Documentation generation workflow covering API docs, architecture docs, README files, code comments, and technical writing.

1k tokens

How to use it

Copy the folder

Take curiositech/technical-writer from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.