.. meta:: :description: The Diátaxis framework solves the problem of structure in technical documentation, making it easier to create, maintain and use. :keywords: documentation, four, kinds .. _diataxis: Diátaxis ======================================================== .. rubric:: A systematic framework for technical documentation authoring. ---------- .. epigraph:: The Grand Unified Theory of Documentation -- David Laing The Diátaxis framework aims to solve the problem of structure in technical documentation. It adopts a systematic approach to understanding the needs of documentation users in their cycle of interaction with a product. .. sidebar:: The name *Diátaxis* comes from the Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́τᾰξῐς: *dia* ("across") and *taxis* ("arrangement"). Diátaxis identifies four modes of documentation - **tutorials**, **how-to guides**, **technical reference** and **explanation**. It derives its structure from the relationship between them. In Diátaxis, each of these modes (or types) answers to a different user need, fulfils a different purpose and requires a different approach to its creation. .. image:: /images/diataxis.png :alt: Diátaxis :class: wider Technical documentation should be structured explicitly around these four types, and should keep them all separate and distinct from each other. In other words, what we call *documentation* is fundamentally not one thing, but four. Understanding the implications of this, and how those four different things work, can help improve most documentation. .. epigraph:: While redesigning the `Cloudflare developer docs `_, this content framework became our north star for information architecture. When we weren’t sure where a new piece of content should fit in, we’d consult the framework. Our documentation is now clearer than it’s ever been, both for readers and contributors. -- Adam Schwartz (`@AdamSchwartz `_) Diátaxis promises to make documentation and projects better, and the teams that work with them more successful. It is light-weight, easy to understand and straightforward to apply. It doesn't impose implementation constraints. Diátaxis is :ref:`proven in practice ` across a wide variety of fields and applications, in large and small, open and proprietary documentation projects. .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :hidden: :titlesonly: Home Tutorials How-to guides Reference Explanation .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :hidden: :titlesonly: needs Tutorials vs how-to guides how-to-use-diataxis .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :hidden: :titlesonly: adoption citation contact