Learn how to write clear, concise, and consistent software documentation with these books and resources that cover the fundamentals, best practices, tools, techniques, standards, guidelines, challenges, and opportunities.

There is no proof that these books were selected by working technical writers, so don't take these AI recommendations too seriously.

What are the best software engineering books and resources for learning software documentation?

Software documentation is a critical skill for any software engineer who wants to communicate effectively with users, clients, and collaborators. It can also help improve code quality, maintainability, and usability. In this article, we will explore the best software engineering books and resources for learning software documentation. These resources will cover topics such as the principles and practices of software documentation, the types and formats of software documentation, the tools and techniques for creating and managing software documentation, the standards and guidelines for software documentation, as well as the challenges and opportunities for software documentation. Whether you are just starting out or an experienced software engineer, you are sure to find something useful and inspiring in these books and resources.

1 Principles and practices

One of the first books you should read is Technical Writing for Software Engineers by Scott D. Selikoff and Julian M. Bucknall. This book covers the fundamentals of technical writing, such as planning, researching, drafting, editing, and reviewing. It also provides practical advice on how to write for different audiences, purposes, and media, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and errors. The book is full of examples, exercises, and tips that will help you improve your technical writing skills and confidence.

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Alessandro Ronchi

Software Architect & E-commerce specialist - Long-time open-source contributor and advocate 🧭 Led by passion, competence, and continuous improvement ★ Curator of Mageres since 2015
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I recommend reading "Living Documentation" by Cyrille Martraire. The book describes how to "get better software design by evolving documentation". It's full of practical advice, and even if it's Java-oriented, one can easily find replacement tools for the technology of choice.

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2 Types and formats

Another essential book is Software Documentation: Types and Best Practices by Agnieszka Gancarz. This book explains the different types of software documentation, such as user manuals, API references, design documents, test cases, and release notes. It also describes the best practices for each type, such as how to structure, format, and style your documentation, how to use graphics and screenshots, how to ensure accuracy and completeness, and how to update and maintain your documentation. The book is a comprehensive and practical guide for software engineers who want to create effective and user-friendly documentation.

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3 Tools and techniques

A third book that you should check out is Modern Technical Writing: An Introduction to Software Documentation by Andrew Etter. This book focuses on the tools and techniques that modern software engineers use to create and manage documentation, such as Markdown, AsciiDoc, Git, GitHub, static site generators, and continuous integration. It also discusses the benefits and challenges of using these tools, such as how to collaborate with others, how to automate your workflow, how to adapt to changing requirements, and how to optimize your documentation for search engines and mobile devices. The book is a concise and accessible introduction to the latest trends and best practices in software documentation.

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Welyson C.

Power Platform Developer at Nokia | Power Apps | Power Automate | Power BI | SharePoint | Python | ChatGPT & AI Prompt Engineering | Devops Culture | RPA | Software engineer
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If we look at how Microsoft writes documentation for people who use their products. The scheme is very simple: Markdown and Versioning with GitHub. This is simply incredible from the point of view of writing, versioning and feedback on documentation. Writing: Marckdown is simple. versioning: With GitHub, forget about the need to create extensive headers for versions or even paint all changes with yellow haha, github makes this easy, but nothing stops you from using any other GIT tool. Feedback: With a simple issue button. Google does something similar, but apparently without using github, but perhaps with some git implementation, with a huge difference being the possibility of feedback on each paragraph of the documentation.

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4 Standards and guidelines

A fourth book that you should read is Software Engineering Standards and Guidelines: A Survey and Analysis by Cem Kaner. This book surveys and analyzes the various standards and guidelines that exist for software engineering, including those for software documentation. It also evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of each standard and guideline, as well as how to apply them in different contexts and situations. The book is a valuable resource for software engineers who want to understand and follow the relevant standards and guidelines for their projects and domains.

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5 Challenges and opportunities

A fifth book that you should explore is The Product is Docs: Writing Technical Documentation in a Product Development Group by Christopher Gales and the Splunk Documentation Team. This book shares the insights and experiences of a team of technical writers who work in a fast-paced and innovative software company. It also reveals the challenges and opportunities that they face in creating and delivering high-quality documentation that supports the product development cycle, such as how to align with the product vision, how to collaborate with developers and stakeholders, how to handle feedback and changes, and how to measure and improve the impact of documentation. The book is a candid and inspiring account of what it takes to be a successful technical writer in a software engineering environment.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Brandon Merriman

API Documentation Specialist | Technical Editor
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There is no proof that these books were selected by working technical writers, so don't take these AI recommendations too seriously.

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What are the best software engineering books and resources for learning software documentation?

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1 Principles and practices

2 Types and formats

3 Tools and techniques

4 Standards and guidelines

5 Challenges and opportunities

6 Here’s what else to consider

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