Writing documentation with Claude Code (useful, not just generated filler)

Claude Code makes documentation fast. The risk: "faster" can mean "more words, same amount of useful information." Here's how to get docs people actually use. The docstring prompt that works ❌ "Add docstrings to all functions." ✅: Write docstrings for these functions. For each one: - One sentence: what it does (start with a verb) - Parameters: name, type, what it represents (not just the type) - Return value: what it is, not just the type - One example showing a non-obvious use case - Any gotchas: what breaks if you call it wrong Don't restate the function name. Don't describe the implementation. The "don't describe the implementation" constraint is the key one. Most auto-generated docstrings translate code into prose instead of explaining intent. README structure Write a README for this project. 1. What it does (one sentence — what it does for the user, not what it is) 2. Who it's for 3. Quick start (minimum steps to get something working) 4. Configuration reference 5. Common patterns