technical-writing

Ask two questions: does the content inform action or understanding, and does it serve learning or work. Action plus learning is a tutorial, action plus work is a how-to, understanding plus work is reference, and understanding plus learning is explanation. Keep one mode per document and link between them.

Address the reader as "you" in present tense, write instructions as direct commands, and put conditions before steps. Keep one thought per sentence, place words like "only" next to what they modify, and use real symbol and file names instead of invented jargon.

Google developer style governs voice: second person, active voice, command-form instructions, and heading conventions. STE rules govern sentence load: one instruction per sentence, roughly 20-word limits for procedures, and warnings placed before the steps they guard.

Yes. Every layer except Diátaxis applies to PR descriptions and commit messages, since they are not standalone documents. Product UI strings are excluded and should follow your product's copy guidelines instead.

When a rule makes a sentence worse, fix the sentence another way or leave it alone. The rules serve the reader, so a sentence that follows every rule but reads like machine output has failed its purpose.