A Note on Documentation
Space is cheap, Document Your Work.
Along the development cycle, we will learn many new things, formulate many new ideas, make many mistakes, and make many new memories. These memories are meaningful so we should make an effort to preserve them to aid in future developments. This is why we encourage good documentation.
What Is "Good" Documentation?
This is a purely subjective statement, but one which we should not have much trouble understanding. A good documentation is simply one which makes an effort to be understood. As the human language is complex and multi-faceted, there is no perfect formula for understanding, all that we are asking is that we try to explain ourselves as best we can, as often as possible.
Why Good Documentation Matters:
It helps us keep track of what we have done.
This helps us remember what we did.
It gives us a reference point when we want to make something new.
This way we do not attempt to re-invent the wheel.
It helps us formulate logical abstractions.
Thorough understanding makes it easier to develop higher-level concepts based on what we have already done.
When we take time to reflect on what we have done, we have a chance to experience it from another perspective. It is easy to get caught up in the stress of the moment -- Deadlines, delays, deliverables are all realities that we must deal with. Providing ourselves information that makes it easier to deal with these realities as they unfold is only a benefit to us in the long run.
Good documentation is hard
It is the culmination of countless hours of attempted understanding and so it only comes with hard work and excruciating attention to detail. That being said, we have one simple request...
Please, to the best of your abilities, document your work. In the end we will all be thankful.
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