Doc-as-Code for product documentation
What If Your Product Docs Had a CI Pipeline — Just Like Code?
It’s not just developers who can use git for version-controlling their code. As technical writers, we can contribute as well through git for product documentation.
Let’s push the boundaries and ask a bold question:
What if we applied the same rigor and automation to all product documentation — not just APIs?
- Documentation is often siloed.
- It’s inconsistent.
- And too often, it’s invisible to the development process.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Imagine treating your docs with the same care you give your code:
- Versioned in Git
- Reviewed via Pull Requests
- Linted using CLI tools for style guides and grammar
- Auto-deployed via CI/CD
That’s the power of the Docs-as-Code approach — applied across all kinds of documentation, not just developer guides.
Watch the Docs Pipeline in Action
I created an animated visual to illustrate what a modern, automated documentation workflow looks like.
We’re talking about 6 core stages — each automated and integrated into your DevOps process:
Plan → Write → Lint → Review → Preview → Publish
Plan
Start with a prioritized list of documentation tasks, aligned with real product work. Use tools like Jira or Trello to track and sync content with sprint cycles.
This ensures you’re writing what matters — and why it matters.
Write
Draft in markup languages including Markdown, AsciiDoc, or using any lightweight editor. This keeps your content versionable, diffable, and developer-friendly.
Bonus? Writers and developers can work in the same environment.
Lint
Enforce consistency with Vale CLI and tools like DocDetective(I am still experimenting Doc Detective).
These tools check for grammar, tone, and style guide violations like Grammarly for docs, but programmable and CI-friendly.
No more “check manually before merge” chaos. And again, who will remember a style guide that spans over 100 pages. I can’t…
Review
Submit docs through Pull Requests, collect inline comments, and review asynchronously.
Just like code.
This brings documentation out of the shadows and into the dev conversation.
Preview
Auto-generate a live preview of your documentation site using static site generators like:
Stakeholders can now review how the docs will look not just read raw Markdown.
Publish
Once approved, your CI/CD pipeline automatically deploys the site.
Whether it’s Netlify, GitHub Pages, Gitlab Pipelines, or Vercel, there’s no need for manual uploads or clunky PDF attachments.
Click. Browse. Done.
The Stack That Makes It Work
A modern docs pipeline is powered by tools like:
- Markdown – Lightweight, readable formats
- Git / GitLab – Version control + PRs
- Vale CLI / DocDetective – Linting and quality control
- Docusaurus – Static site generators
- CI/CD (Gitlab Pipelines) – Automated deployment
Final Thoughts
Docs-as-Code isn’t just for API teams anymore.
It’s a mindset shift for every kind of product documentation.
You don’t need a huge team.
Just a willingness to think like a dev and treat your words like code.
Ready to build a documentation pipeline that scales as your product grows?
Let’s ditch the silos and embrace automation.
Real-World Considerations
While the Docs-as-Code approach offers major benefits, it’s important to acknowledge that it may not suit every team or documentation type equally.
Here are a few real-world considerations:
Not One-Size-Fits-All: Highly visual content, enterprise level documentation, or teams without technical resources may prefer traditional workflows. That’s okay — Docs-as-Code is a mindset, not a mandate.
Tooling Overhead: Setting up CI/CD, linters, and previews can be overwhelming for small teams. Start simple, even just versioning your docs in Git is a great step forward.
Learning Curve: Writers unfamiliar with Git or PR workflows might feel intimidated. Tools like GitHub Desktop or pairing with developers can ease adoption.
Developer Mindset Assumptions: You don’t need to become a developer — just embrace a workflow that values collaboration, versioning, and continuous improvement.