Streamlining PR Documentation: Essential Checks

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Streamlining PR Documentation: Essential Checks\n\n## Hey Guys, Let's Talk About PR Documentation Checks!\n\nAlright team, let's get real for a sec about something super crucial that often gets overlooked in the fast-paced world of software development: *documentation checks for our Pull Requests (PRs)*. I know, I know, "documentation" might sound a bit like a buzzkill, but trust me, it's actually one of the coolest things we can do to make our lives, and the lives of our future selves and teammates, *way easier*. This isn't just about ticking boxes; it's about building a robust, understandable, and truly *sustainable* system. Imagine diving into a new feature or trying to fix a bug in a codebase you haven't touched in months, only to find absolutely no breadcrumbs or explanations for recent changes. *Frustrating*, right? That's exactly what we're trying to avoid with our disciplined approach to *PR documentation checks*. We're talking about ensuring that every significant change, every brilliant new feature, and every crucial update to our system is properly documented, making it accessible and clear for anyone who needs to understand it, from a fresh new developer joining the team to an experienced architect debugging a complex issue. This article isn't just some dry, corporate memo; it's a *friendly guide* to understanding and implementing a super efficient process for *managing documentation updates alongside your PRs*. We're going to dive into *why documentation matters, how to determine its necessity, and the practical steps* we take to ensure no vital information slips through the cracks. It's all about making development smoother, more human-friendly, and ultimately, more enjoyable for everyone involved. So, buckle up, because we're about to make documentation less of a chore and more of a superpower for our team!\n\n## Why Documentation Checks Are a Big Deal (and Not Just for Nerds!)\n\nLet's cut to the chase, folks: *documentation checks* are a *massive deal* because they directly impact our team's productivity, onboarding speed, and the overall health of our codebase. Think about it. When we introduce *new features*, how do other developers know how to integrate with them, or how product managers understand their capabilities? When we change *API endpoints*, how do client applications adapt, or how do our partners update their systems without breaking everything? These aren't minor details; they are *critical junctures* where good documentation is the difference between smooth sailing and an absolute nightmare. *Architecture changes*? Without proper documentation, understanding the system's underlying structure becomes a guessing game, making future enhancements or debugging efforts incredibly difficult and prone to errors. Even something as seemingly mundane as *environment setup procedures changes* can halt a new hire's progress for days if the updated steps aren't clearly documented. This is precisely why we've established clear criteria for when documentation is *absolutely essential* – not to create more work, but to *safeguard our collective knowledge* and prevent future headaches. On the flip side, we also identify when documentation might be *unnecessary*, like for minor *bug fixes*, internal *refactoring*, or *test additions*. These changes, while important, usually don't require external-facing or deep internal documentation updates that affect how others *use* or *understand* the system's behavior. The *cost of missing documentation* is often hidden but very real: wasted developer time trying to reverse-engineer code, increased tech debt as systems become less understandable, and slower feature delivery due to confusion. By being diligent with our *PR documentation checks*, we're not just creating documents; we're *providing immense value* to every single person who interacts with our work, making our entire development process more efficient, transparent, and frankly, a lot less stressful. This proactive approach ensures that our knowledge base grows with our product, making us a more agile and capable team overall.\n\n## Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It: The Immediate Steps\n\nAlright, agents, here's your playbook for tackling *PR #98's documentation check* – and really, any PR moving forward! This isn't a suggestion; it's a *direct action plan* designed to keep our documentation top-notch. The first, most crucial step is to *review the PR #98 changes*. Seriously, guys, dig into it! You can easily do this using your `gh` CLI tool: `gh pr view 98` gives you a quick overview, and `gh pr diff 98` will show you the exact code changes. *Understanding the scope* of the PR – whether it's a tiny tweak or a major overhaul – is fundamental to judging its documentation needs. This is where your detective skills come in handy! After that deep dive, your next task is to *determine if documentation updates are needed*. This is where our criteria, which we'll chat more about shortly, really shine. You're asking yourself: "Does this PR introduce something new, change how existing things work, or alter the environment setup?" If the answer is yes to any significant degree, then *boom*, documentation is probably on the menu. Now, if you've looked and the documentation is clearly *missing but needed*, your mission is to *create a sub-issue*. This isn't just a formality; it's how we ensure that the documentation task gets proper attention and isn't forgotten amidst the excitement of merging a PR. We create a dedicated issue specifically for the doc update, linking it back to the original PR. This ensures accountability and visibility for the documentation effort. On the flip side, if you find that *documentation is already included and sufficient*, or if you've determined that no documentation is actually necessary for this particular PR (e.g., it's just a refactor), then fantastic! Your next step is simply to *comment on the PR*, giving it a big "✅ ドキュメントチェック完了" (Documentation check complete!), and then you *close the main documentation check issue*. It's a clear signal to everyone that the check has been performed and the outcome documented. Finally, and this is important for our process, you simply *close this issue* – no lingering, no endless debates, no analysis paralysis. The goal here is swift action and clear decision-making. We're explicitly *banning* analysis paralysis or postponing decisions. Our mantra here is: *act now, decide decisively, and move forward!* This focused approach helps us maintain momentum and ensures that our documentation always keeps pace with our development.\n\n## The Nitty-Gritty: Deciding When Docs Are a MUST-HAVE\n\nAlright, team, let's get into the *heart of the matter*: the *Documentation Necessity Criteria*. This is your cheat sheet, your go-to guide for figuring out when you absolutely, positively *must* create or update documentation, and when you can give yourself a high-five for a job well done without adding more markdown files. Understanding these guidelines is key to being efficient and effective in our *PR documentation checks*, ensuring we capture critical knowledge without getting bogged down in unnecessary tasks. First up, when is documentation a *non-negotiable MUST*? Well, if your PR involves a ***new feature addition***, you better believe documentation is required. Think about it: how else will users know what this shiny new thing does, or how other developers can integrate with it? Without clear guides, your awesome feature might just sit there, unused and unloved. Secondly, if there's an ***API endpoint change***, documentation is crucial. Whether you're adding new endpoints, modifying existing ones, or deprecating old ones, downstream consumers and internal services need to know the updated contract. Failing to document this can lead to broken integrations, frantic bug reports, and a whole lot of wasted time for everyone involved. Trust me, you don't want to be the reason another team's service goes down because they weren't aware of an API change! Next, any significant ***architecture change*** demands documentation. This isn't just about code; it's about the very structure and design of our system. Understanding *why* we made a certain architectural choice, *how* different components interact, and *what* the implications are for future development is paramount. This type of documentation empowers developers to make informed decisions and prevents architectural drift. Lastly, if you're tweaking ***environment setup procedures***, you absolutely need to update the docs. Imagine a new developer joining the team, eager to get started, only to hit a wall because the onboarding guide is outdated. Clear, current setup instructions are vital for smooth onboarding and consistent development environments across the team. Now, let's look at the flip side: when is documentation *typically unnecessary*? If your PR is solely a ***bug fix***, often no new documentation is needed, as it usually addresses an internal issue without changing external behavior or core functionality. Similarly, ***refactoring only*** changes the internal structure of the code without altering its external behavior or public interface, so user-facing or integration documentation isn't usually required. Finally, if you're just adding ***test additions***, while incredibly important for code quality, these don't typically necessitate updates to user guides or architectural docs. By following these guidelines, you're ensuring that critical information is always captured, while also avoiding the overhead of documenting every single minor internal change. This helps us focus our efforts where they truly matter, making our documentation both comprehensive and lean.\n\n## Automating the Awesomeness: Our Script in Action!\n\nOkay, guys, let's pull back the curtain and peek at the *power behind our streamlined documentation check process*: the incredible *bash script* that handles a lot of the heavy lifting for us. This isn't just some command-line magic; it's a thoughtfully designed automation that ensures consistency and efficiency in our *PR documentation checks*. The script kicks off by doing exactly what we talked about earlier: it *checks the PR's content*. It uses `gh pr view 98` and `gh pr diff 98` to gather all the necessary information, making sure we have the full picture of the changes introduced in PR #98. This initial step is fundamental, as you can't assess documentation needs without knowing what changed! Then, the script gets smart. It actually tries to *detect if documentation files have already been updated* by looking for changes in `docs/` directory. See this line: `DOCS_CHANGED=$(gh pr diff 98 --name-only | grep -E '^docs/.*\\.md{{content}}#39; | wc -l)`. This snippet uses `grep` to find any modified markdown files within our `docs/` folder, giving us a quick count. If `DOCS_CHANGED` is greater than zero, it means someone already touched the documentation, which is a great start! Based on this check and a hypothetical `[ 不要と判断 ]` (meaning "judged unnecessary"), the script makes a crucial *judgment call*. It follows an `if` statement: `if [ "$DOCS_CHANGED" -gt 0 ] || [ 不要と判断 ]; then`. This is where the magic branches! If documentation is either already updated or simply not needed for this PR, the script goes down the "all clear" path. It automatically adds a "✅ ドキュメントチェック完了" comment to the PR (`gh pr comment 98`), signaling completion, and then *closes the main documentation check issue*. This is super handy, as it means less manual work for us when docs are already handled or not required. But what happens if documentation *is needed* and hasn't been done yet? This is where the script really shines by *creating a sub-issue*. It pulls the PR title (`PR_TITLE=$(gh pr view 98 --json title -q .title)`) and branch name (`PR_BRANCH=$(gh pr view 98 --json headRefName -q .headRefName)`) to craft a detailed sub-issue. This new issue is specifically titled, for example, "DOC: PR #98 - [Original PR Title]," clearly indicating its purpose. The script also populates the sub-issue's body with a *comprehensive set of instructions and a template* for the documentation task, including the target branch, document type (like `features`, `development`, `requirements`), and detailed rules for writing the documentation. This ensures that whoever picks up the documentation task has all the context they need right there. Labels like "automation,documentation,child" are automatically applied, and it's even assigned to a specific person (in this case, `@me`) for accountability. Oh, and here's a cool part: it even includes a step to *mention our AI helper, @claude*, so that the documentation creation process can be kicked off immediately by an automated agent. After creating this crucial sub-issue, the script then leaves a comment on the *original PR*, informing everyone that "📝 ドキュメント作成が必要です: #[Sub-Issue Number]," and urging them to close the documentation sub-issue before merging the PR. Finally, it *closes the initial documentation check issue*, completing its automated cycle. This entire process ensures that our documentation efforts are not only consistent but also highly efficient, leveraging automation to keep our knowledge base up-to-date with minimal manual overhead. It's truly a game-changer for maintaining high-quality documentation across all our projects.\n\n## Crafting Stellar Docs: Our Golden Rules for Sub-Issues\n\nAlright, my friends, once our awesome script has done its job and created a *documentation sub-issue*, it's time for the human touch – *crafting those stellar documents!* This isn't just about dumping information; it's about creating high-quality, value-adding content that genuinely helps our users and fellow developers. Our sub-issues come with a set of *golden rules* and a clear template, designed to guide you toward writing the best possible documentation. First and foremost, let's talk *language*: unless it's a code sample, *all documentation should be in Japanese*. This ensures consistency and accessibility for our primary audience. When it comes to *length*, we strive for *conciseness*: aim for *under 300 lines*. If your topic requires more, that's a sign to *split it into multiple, focused documents*. Remember, guys, nobody wants to read a novel when they're looking for a quick solution or understanding! One of the most critical elements in our template is the ***TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read) section*** at the very beginning. This is your chance to provide a 2-3 line summary that captures the essence of the document. Think of it as the elevator pitch for your documentation – it helps readers quickly grasp the core concept and decide if they need to dive deeper. This *summary section is absolutely mandatory* and a huge time-saver for busy developers. We also insist on including the ***final update date***, formatted as `最終更新: YYYY-MM-DD`. This timestamp is vital for understanding the freshness of the information and helps us identify potentially outdated documents. Another key rule is to always *check for existing documentation duplication* in `docs/README.md`. Before you create a brand new file, quickly scan the existing docs to ensure you're not rehashing information that's already out there. Our goal is a centralized, non-redundant knowledge base. The document template itself is structured for clarity: you'll start with the main *Title* (using an H1 heading in markdown), followed by the essential *TL;DR*. Then comes the *概要 (Overview)* section, where you'll provide a more detailed explanation of the feature, change, or concept. This is where you can elaborate without getting bogged down in specifics yet. After the overview, we move to the *使い方 (Usage)* section, which is critical for practical application. Here, you'll include concrete examples, code snippets, and step-by-step instructions that show users or developers exactly how to interact with what you're documenting. This hands-on approach makes the documentation truly useful. Finally, you'll cap it off with the `---` separator and the `最終更新` line. By diligently following these rules and utilizing the template, you're not just writing documentation; you're contributing to a high-quality, accessible, and incredibly valuable knowledge base that serves our entire team and product community. It's about being clear, concise, and comprehensive in your explanations, providing maximum value with every word.\n\n## Wrapping It Up: Making Every PR a Documentation Win!\n\nAlright, we've covered a lot of ground, guys, and hopefully, you're feeling a lot more clued in on *why our PR documentation check process is so incredibly important* and how we're making it work for us. From understanding the *criticality of documenting significant changes* like new features and API updates, to having a clear set of *criteria for when docs are a must-have*, and even leveraging *awesome automation scripts* to streamline the whole process – we've got a robust system in place. Our goal is simple: to make every single Pull Request not just a code delivery, but a *documentation win*. This means reducing headaches, speeding up onboarding for new teammates, and ensuring that our collective knowledge grows alongside our codebase. No more frantic searches for undocumented features, no more guesswork when integrating with new APIs, and definitely no more outdated environment setup guides! By embracing this disciplined yet friendly approach to *PR documentation checks*, we're building a culture of clarity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We're creating a legacy of well-documented projects that will serve us, and everyone who comes after us, incredibly well. So, let's keep this momentum going! Be diligent, be thorough, and remember that a few extra minutes spent on documentation today can save hours, or even days, of confusion down the line. It's all about providing value, making our work more understandable, and ultimately, building a better product together. Let's make every PR an opportunity to enhance our knowledge base and set ourselves up for future success. You guys are awesome, and together, we're making documentation a true superpower!