Implementing a Docs as Code Workflow for Technical Documentation
Where You Are
Do you work with a team where developers and writers need to store code and documentation together? Perhaps you are responsible for organizing company documentation, looking to consolidate and centralize files, or working with documents that serve dozens or more users across departments.
Technical writers and software developers may both contribute to company documents such as work instructions or process guides. When multiple people work on company documents and update them consistently, content can easily get lost and duplicated. Teams may lose track of the most recent update and waste time and energy in search of valuable information—time and energy that could be steered toward a deadline or project.
Traditional tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or SharePoint may work for small projects or simple storage, but may not inherently provide a single, authoritative source of truth for large, collaborative documentation efforts with code.
Therefore, your company may need a shared, accessible location with clear version history and consistent organization. For teams responsible for maintaining company documentation —or simply trying to centralize and streamline updates—the solution is adopting a Docs as Code approach with GitHub which treats documentation with the same structure, tracking, and control as software code.
If you are new to GitHub, this guide provides a technical overview and hands-on exercises to help determine whether a Docs as Code workflow aligns with your team’s requirements.
Brief Explanation of Docs as Code
Docs as Code is an approach that treats documentation like software, using the same tools and processes that developers use for code. Writers store content in plain-text formats such as Markdown and manage it in version control systems like Git. This allows teams to track changes, collaborate through pull requests, and review edits just as they would with source code. Automated workflows, or CI/CD pipelines, can build and publish the documentation whenever updates are approved. The result is a transparent, efficient, and integrated process where documentation evolves in sync with the software it describes.
Brief Explanation of Version Control: Git/GitHub
Git is a version control system that tracks changes to files, allowing multiple people to work on the same project without losing progress or overwriting each other’s work. It records a complete history of edits so users can review, revert, or branch off from any point in time. GitHub is an online platform that hosts Git repositories, making it easier for teams to share projects, collaborate, and manage contributions. It adds features like pull requests, issue tracking, and code reviews to streamline collaboration. Together, Git and GitHub provide a powerful foundation for teamwork, transparency, and versioned control in both software and documentation projects.
Brief Explanation of CI/CD Pipeline
In the Docs as Code model, a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipeline automates the building, testing, and publishing of documentation. When a writer or developer makes a change, the pipeline automatically checks for issues like broken links, formatting errors, or build failures. If the tests pass, the system compiles the files into a static site using tools such as MkDocs, Sphinx, or Jekyll. Once approved, the pipeline deploys the updated documentation to a live environment, such as GitHub Pages or Netlify. This automation ensures that documentation stays accurate, consistent, and always in sync with the latest code changes.
Where You'll End Up
By the end of this guide, you should be able to transfer your company’s documents into a centralized GitHub space that supports both writers and software developers. While GitHub takes some time to learn, it provides important benefits: a complete version history, automated checks, and a consistent workflow that reduces errors.
If your team chooses to adopt this approach, you will gain a single, reliable place where all departments can access the same documents, see the full history of changes, and avoid confusion about the most recent version. The goal is to expedite the delivery of your company’s projects.
