Document types

14 Types of Software Development Documentation (Plus Tips) By Indeed Editorial Team

Published June 23, 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Software development documentation helps developers, their colleagues and users understand how the software works. The types of documentation appeal to different audiences based on whether they create, review or use the software. Documenting the development of software allows developers to complete projects efficiently and gives users a resource for operation and troubleshooting. In this article, we discuss what documentation for software development is, 14 types of documentation developers create and tips for documenting software development.

Related: What Is Software Development?

Top job searches near you Part time jobs Full time jobs Work from home jobs Hiring immediately jobs View more jobs on Indeed What is documentation for software development? Documentation for software development is the written material created by a developer to track a software's production and use from start to finish. Developers write some forms of software documentation for their own reference, while others help user experience professionals, quality assurance specialists and software users understand and navigate the product. The process of documenting each project is called the software development life cycle (SDLC). It consists of six steps, which include:

Planning Analysis Design Implementation Testing Maintenance Related: Comprehensive Guide To the Values and Principles of Agile Software Development

14 types of software development documentation Many roles contribute to successful software development and each person on the team has specific tasks to complete before the product reaches the end user. Here are 14 types of software documentation developers write:

1. Process documentation Process documentation includes all records of the software's development and maintenance. Developers create process documentation when they develop the initial concept and continue to add relevant information during each step of the process. This type of documentation keeps the developer's team informed, guides each team member through their role in the process and helps everyone involved accomplish the project's goals efficiently.

2. Planning documentation A software development plan (SDP) outlines the developer's reason for pursuing the project and how they intend to create it. It also includes methods of development and gives team members an outline for monitoring the project as they work on it. Some factors an SDP addresses include:

Problems the software will solve The development approach the team will use The primary functions of the software The order of development Leadership roles for the project Each team member's responsibilities 3. Estimate documentation Before starting the project, software developers draft estimates to include in the process documentation. An estimate, also known as effort estimation, records the time or money the developer expects the process to require. Effort estimates help developers plan project budgets, choose teams and decide on pricing.

1. Standards documentation Software standards are established norms, systems of rules or other formats used to create software. Open standards refer to those the public and other companies can access to create their own software. Closed standards describe formats and protocols the developer does not make available to others, such as patented processes. Developers document the software standards of their project so their team understands the objectives of the project and how to approach them.

2. Metrics documentation Software metrics record the measurable aspects of the development process and the product. Product metrics include the size, complexity and quality of the software, while process metrics measure the efficiency of the techniques and tools teams use to develop software. Software metrics allow developers to:

Compare different development methods Prepare quality specifications Measure the accuracy of effort estimations Give managers feedback throughout the development process 6. Scheduling documentation Once a developer has organized a plan for their project, they use specialized software to make a detailed schedule for themselves and others on their team. The schedule includes tasks team members need to complete, deadlines for finishing them, the time the developer estimates each task will take and a list of resources for each team member, if available. Schedules play an important role in keeping everyone on the team on track throughout the development process.

1. Product documentation Product documentation describes the software the development team plans to create and instructs on how to change and use it. Product documentation consists of two types, system documentation and user documentation. The development team uses system documentation, while end users benefit from user documentation. Both are important because they detail the components of the product and how users can apply them to solve a problem.

2. System documentation System documentation outlines the components of the software and how they work together to produce it. It primarily benefits development team members by allowing them to track progress, modify specific elements and predict how the software will function. System documentation includes many aspects of the software, including:

Capabilities Design Limitations Operation Maintenance Related: 18 Software Tester Skills

1. Requirements documentation Software requirements documentation outlines what the product needs to operate effectively. Developers typically draft a requirements document during the planning stages of development because it can help guide the team through the creation of the software. Software requirements developers document include hardware specifications, functionality requirements and compatibility.

2. Architecture and design documentation Architecture and design documentation provides basic information on how the software works. It provides user experience professionals with an overview of the purpose of the software, its components and how it functions. This information allows them to ensure the software has a logical design with a controlled flow of data that gives the end user a positive experience.

3. Technical documentation Technical documentation describes how the software uses or builds upon existing technological concepts. As its name suggests, it's geared toward information technology (IT) specialists and software engineers who use it to ensure a quality user experience and earn the trust and loyalty of customers. Technical documentation includes elements such as application protocol interface (API) routes, which allow the software to communicate with the user's device, and software development kits (SDKs), or a set of tools use by developers to create software.

4. User documentation User documentation includes the resources provided to end users and system administrators to teach them how to use the product. It may also include special features of your software, tips for use and troubleshooting advice. Common types of user documentation include FAQs, tutorials, and support information.

5. End-user documentation End-user documentation refers to the information given to the people who use a finalized software produce. These resources make it easier for users to navigate and familiarize themselves with the software. Types of end-user documentation include:

Operating system requirements Installation instructions How to start and use the software Photos of software features Troubleshooting tips Customer service contact information 14. System administrator documentation System administrator documentation helps those responsible for managing computer systems and servers maintain the software. It usually includes information on software installation, updates and functionality. It may also provide a guide to how the software behaves with different systems and what to do if it malfunctions.

Related: Systems Administrator Skills: Definitions and Examples

See how your salary compares Get personalized salary insights with the Indeed Salary Calculator Tips for software development documentation Documentation for software development streamlines the process and ensures a quality product for the end user. Here are some tips for writing software documentation:

Include a README file before coding details README files are basic text documents that describe the software to users and programmers. They can assist end users and system administrators in using the product, and they can also provide new members of the development team with an overview of the project. README files may include:

Configuration, installation and operating instructions List of included files Licensing information Known bugs Credits Related: 10 Great Reasons To Be a Software Developer

Create an issue tracker to collect feedback Issues trackers, also known as bug trackers, allow you to collect information reported to you by colleagues or software users regarding specific issues they have using the product. They make it easier for your team to track the steps they take to correct issues and keep everyone updated on their progress. If this problem or a similar one arises again, you and your team can go back to your issue tracker to review your process for resolving it.

Include coding conventions in technical documentation Technical documentation helps software engineers and other members of your development team understand how the software functions and that functionality relies on coding. Many programming languages and styles exist, so making it clear to your colleagues which method you chose for the development of a specific product helps them understand what they're working with and maintain consistency. Coding conventions you may add to your technical documentation include:

Practices Principles Organization Indentation Comments Naming conventions Statements Declarations List every version of your files with edits you made to each one It's best practice to list every version of the files you created and all the edits you made to them in your software development documentation. Some developers choose to use versioning software, while others simply add a suffix to the end of files manually, such as v2, v3 or v4. Other key terms such as draft, final or cropped also tell your colleagues which file versions your team has updated most recently.

Add your email at the end of your documentation Creating new software involves a long and rewarding process. Encouraging your team and users to correspond with you can help you maintain your expectations for your product and enable functionality that solves a problem for your users. By adding a link to your email at the end of your software development documentation, you can keep communication open, make changes to the product as necessary and ensure the quality of your software.