[TYPO3-doc] Why I like to write documentation

[Elmar]

I often start with writing documentation before I start coding. I "abuse" the documentation as a tool for planning. Then you find a topics like "Considerations" in my documentation. It also happens, that I start with specifying the API, that I would like to get. When I am planning a piece of code, I am moved by the ideas about it. That is a good moment to write about it. Having the goals defined, helps getting the work done. The downside of this approach is, that features may be documented, that are not implemented, yet.

Another moment, when I like to write documentation is, when my brains starts feeling gridlocked from coding and I loose overview. Then documenation is a method to reflect, what I have already done and to regain overview. Writing it all down clears and frees the brain. Again as a sideeffect of this self therapy, I get another part of my documenation done.

As a result of this two steps I have a bigger part of the documenation done, when the code is getting ready. Then it is less effort to do the rest. The motivation to do the rest is, to enable people to use my code. Writing code that isn't used, is not that satisfying. Everybody likes to talk about his work. Completing the documentation is a way to do this.

Elmar