Reference Documentation Patterns

Reference documentation is information-oriented - helping experienced users find precise technical details quickly. This skill provides patterns for writing clear, scannable reference pages.

Dependency: Always use this skill in conjunction with docs-style for core writing principles. To confirm reference is the right type — rather than a tutorial, how-to, or explanation — see docs-style/references/diataxis-compass.md.

Purpose and Audience

• Who: Experienced users seeking specific information
• Goal: Quick lookup of technical details
• Mode: Not for learning, for looking up
• Expectation: Brevity, consistency, completeness

Document Structure Template

Use this template when creating reference documentation: